Days in Shohoku High
by aissaa
Summary: This story revolves around four girls ( or more ^^;;) in Shohoku High. Freshmen...who happen to get into a lot of trouble and mix-ups with the Shohoku basketball team. *CHAPTER 9 UP!!*
1. Chapter 1: Introductions

1 Chapter I: "Introductions"  
  
  
  
" C'mon, faster!"  
  
" So when the car drove on over the sidewalk, I just stood there and didn't try to move."  
  
" Wait for me, Natsumi-chan!"  
  
First day at Shohoku High. Raiyuu Sagara walked into the brick-encased walls of her new school. The place she was going to stay in for three years.  
  
Not bad, she mused to herself. Definitely not bad. She clutched her books protectively to her chest. Seemed like she made the right choice, when her mother had asked her to choose between-what was that?-Ryonan High and.this place. Shohoku.  
  
Well. She took in a deep breath, a smile fluttering unto her lips. Here we go.  
  
Raiyuu strode into the building, giving out her most encouraging smile. People gazed at her with approval as they passed by her.  
  
She just nodded back, the smile on her lips growing more and more genuine by the second.  
  
Yup, not bad at all.  
  
~*~  
  
Mizuyuki Yuu was nervous.  
  
Well, who wouldn't be? This was her first day of high school, and she wanted to.make a nice impression. This was high school, after all. Full of.older people!  
  
So she couldn't be blamed when that morning, she froze as she stepped into her new school.  
  
There was not one face she recognized from her old middle school. None at all.  
  
1.1 Okay. Calm down, Mizuyuki.  
  
" I don't feel so good." Mizuyuki murmured to herself as she leant against the wall, sinking further, down into the ground.  
  
1.1.1 I don't wanna go inside.  
  
" Hey, kid!"  
  
" Huh?" Without thinking, Mizuyuki turned to the person behind her. " Me--"  
  
" Yohei!!"  
  
Her cousin smiled warmly. " Hey!" he had one hand shoved into his pocket, and his schoolbag dangling from the other hand. " What's up?" He crouched down until he and Mizuyuki were at eye level. " What are you doing down here?"  
  
A smile found its way unto Mizuyuki's face. " Nothing." she stood up, carefully brushing herself off. " You didn't tell me we were going to go to the same school!" she said accusingly.  
  
" Oh?" Yohei raised an eyebrow. " I guess you know that. Now."  
  
" YOHEI!" Mizuyuki sweatdropped, exasperated at her cousin.  
  
" MITO!"  
  
Mizuyuki looked behind Yohei's back to see three guys running towards her cousin. One had weird hair, one had a mustache, and one was.plump.  
  
Yohei waved furiously at them. " Hey!"  
  
He turned back to Mizuyuki. " Those are my friends," he explained, sticking both hands into his pockets.  
  
" Oh." Mizuyuki murmured as all three surrounded both her and Yohei.  
  
" Hey, man! What's--" The 'plump' one turned to Mizuyuki, having noticed she was there.  
  
A smile grew onto his rather wide face. " Ooh."  
  
In a second, all three of them were all over Yohei, nudging him in the ribs and anywhere they could nudge him. " New girl, new girl, new girl!!!"  
  
" Who's she?" That came from mustache man.  
  
" Where'd you get her?" Plump guy.  
  
" How much did you buy her for?"  
  
The last sentence earned the one with weird hair a knock on the head. Yohei sighed.  
  
" Guys, meet Mizuyuki Yuu. And no, we're not together."  
  
" Ahhhh."  
  
Mizuyuki shrank back in fear as all three advanced on her, realization.and something else entirely different.dawned unto their faces.  
  
" And," Yohei cut in sharply, " She's my cousin."  
  
Immediately all three withdrew from her.  
  
" Oh."  
  
" If that's the case."  
  
" So, anyway."  
  
Yohei just sighed again. Mizuyuki just didn't get it.  
  
" You'll have to excuse them," Yohei told his clueless cousin. " They were wandering off somewhere when brains were being handed out."  
  
Now it was Yohei's turn to be whacked on the head by all three of his friends.  
  
" Hey, hey! Hands off the hair! Say, where'd Sakuragi-kun go?"  
  
Mizuyuki just smiled, shaking her head.  
  
She had a feeling she was going to like this place.  
  
~*~  
  
" Hey, I know that girl."  
  
" Second place."  
  
" that gymnast on TV."  
  
A girl with long black hair walked gracefully, her head held high, her blue eyes cool, taking in everything around her. People stared at her as she passed by, and once realizing whom she was, stepped aside to make way.  
  
Ruona Tanizaki didn't mind it, though.  
  
1.1.2 Let them stare all they want. Who cares?  
  
Flicking her ebony black hair back, she continued her search for her classroom as people just stood there, gawking at her. Ruona chose to ignore them.  
  
I don't care what they think of me. It doesn't matter anyway.  
  
This was her first day at school-first day at Shohoku High. She wasn't nervous, though; she didn't have to be. It didn't matter to her what people thought of her. Let them think what they wanted to.  
  
She stopped at the bottom of the stairs. Ruona couldn't recall whether her homeroom was on the first, or second floor. Or was it the third floor? Opening her bag, she reached for her schedule.  
  
" Um, excuse me?"  
  
Ruona raised her eyebrows, and spun around. Two girls stood behind her, looking nervous. Nervous that they were speaking to her. She had gotten used to it though, a long time ago.  
  
" Yes?" she made no effort to make her tone of voice amiable.  
  
" We were just wondering.are you.Ruona Tanizaki.? As in, the world-famous gymnast?" One of them asked almost shyly. " I.well.I've always idolized you."  
  
Ruona remained expressionless, though. " So?"  
  
Both girls looked confused, almost as if they expected her to say something else. Well, sorry girls. I'm just not like that.  
  
" Um.that's all." the other one spoke quietly.  
  
Ruona glanced at them coolly for one long moment, then spun back around to proceed to the second floor, to homeroom.  
  
She had the feeling that she wasn't going to like it, here in Shohoku.  
  
~*~  
  
" Makioka?"  
  
" Hai, sensei."  
  
" Nijimitsu?"  
  
" Hai."  
  
" Rukawa?"  
  
No response.  
  
The sensei frowned, and cleared his throat. " Rukawa?"  
  
Still no response.  
  
The class stirred, buzzing with excitement as they looked around for "Rukawa", or whoever he was.  
  
The sensei's brow furrowed, and he decided to try again. " Kaede Rukawa?"  
  
" Um, sensei?" that came from the back of the room.  
  
The sensei raised his eyebrows. " Are you Kaede Rukawa?"  
  
" No, sir," the student said nervously, " But I think he's Kaede Rukawa." He pointed an accusing figure towards an exceptionally tall boy siting in the chair beside him. Rukawa's black hair was all mussed up, his face pressed against the wooden desktop. He was also sleeping very soundly.  
  
The sensei raised his eyebrows. " Oh?"  
  
Students glanced over at the sleeping Rukawa and laughed. Others were desperately trying to wake him up.  
  
" Rukawa-kun? Rukawa-kun!"  
  
Suddenly, Rukawa drew his head up, still sleeping. He murmured a soft 'hai' before dropping down on to the desk once more, snoring softly.  
  
Students around him sweatdropped. Others pretended not to notice.  
  
The sensei shook his head and made a mark in his record book.  
  
" Next." he surveyed the list. " Oh! It looks like I missed a student." He looked up, adjusting his glasses. " Ishikawa!"  
  
No response.  
  
The sensei raised his eyebrows, and slammed the list of students down on his table.  
  
" Is there anyone else sleeping in the back?" he impatiently asked a student in the front row. "Aside from that Rukawa character."  
  
The student looked behind him. " No, sir."  
  
" Well, then where, and who is this Ishikawa?!" The sensei was obviously losing his patience.  
  
The door to the classroom slid open, then slammed shut. Students turned to look at the intruder.  
  
A girl stood in the doorway, smiling brightly. Her sparkling brown eyes and flushed cheeks weren't the only striking looks about her. The tear on her skirt and the bruise on her arm were also very noticeable. Not to mention her mussed up clothes and hair.  
  
" Gomen, sensei!" the girl bowed respectfully. " I had to.settle an issue."  
  
The sensei sighed, obviously having given up all hope. " And I'm supposing you're Ishikawa?"  
  
" Hai." The girl bowed again.  
  
The sensei waved her away. " Go find a seat."  
  
Ishikawa settled for a vacant chair near the very back of the room. Students turned to watch as she settled into her seat, giving everyone 'who, me?' looks.  
  
" SO," the sensei said sharply, " Welcome to Shohoku High."  
  
When he noticed that no one seemed interested, he just shrugged and went on.  
  
" Here at Shohoku, we expect the most out of students. We do not like laziness--" Here he glanced at Rukawa, who was still asleep, "-and tardiness." This time he glanced at Ishikawa, who was smiling brightly back at him. " Do you understand, Kaede Rukawa and--" he glanced at the girl named Ishikawa for an answer.  
  
The girl was still smiling. " Ishikawa. Kaede Ishikawa."  
  
"..Kaede Ishikawa." The sensei finished. " Do you two understand?"  
  
Silence for a moment. Then.  
  
" They have the same name!"  
  
" Kaede Rukawa and Kaede Ishikawa! Hey, it rhymes!"  
  
" Rukawa-Ishikawa! Rukawa-Ishikawa!"  
  
" What happens if both of them get married?"  
  
The whole class erupted in laughter, much to the annoyance of their teacher.  
  
" Fools." He murmured, shaking his head. This was probably the most demented class in the whole of high school.  
  
Kaede Ishikawa frowned at the thought of getting married to Rukawa. In fact, she didn't like it. Not at all.  
  
She sunk low into her seat. " Morons."  
  
" Hey, hey! Look at this!" a student in the second row said. " If they do get married, and they live in the same house, and they answer the phone, and the person says, ' hello, may I please speak to Kaede?' and they'll go, 'which Kaede?' and then the person'll go, 'Kaede Rukawa', and then they'd go, ' which Kaede Rukawa?" and then--" his extremely long run-on sentence was cut short as Kaede Ishikawa grabbed him by the throat, an evil grin on her face.  
  
" Say that again?" she said, tightening her grip.  
  
" Ack." the poor student gasped. " You're choking me!"  
  
" I'm aware of that."  
  
" lemmegolemmego!!!"  
  
" Take it back first."  
  
" No.ACK!!" her grip tightened.  
  
Nothing, said Rukawa, who was still asleep.  
  
" Take. It. Back." A deadly look replaced the merry mood within Ishikawa's eyes. " Or else."  
  
The student gulped, or tried to. " All right, all right! I do!"  
  
Ishikawa released him, a smirk growing on her face. " Thank you."  
  
From another aisle, Raiyuu Sagara watched the girl silently.  
  
1.1.3 She looks very familiar.where have I seen her before?  
  
----  
  
AN: Well? So how was it? This is a story with me and my friends in school.guess who's who ( yeah, WOW, like that's easy *_*) My classmates liked it.I have no idea how anyone else will react, though. Be nice!!! Please!!!  
  
I don't own Slam Dunk, just borrowing characters.  
  
I am aware that Sagara is Sanosuke's last name, btw. ^_^ my friend likes him.  
  
And does Mizuyuki Yuu's name sound familiar.? 


	2. Chapter 2: Meeting

1.1.1 Chapter II: " Meeting"  
  
  
  
Gym Class. Raiyuu Sagara smiled as she limbered up, loosening her muscles. She had always liked gym, even in middle school. With hope it wouldn't change now.  
  
She had heard that their sport for the term was volleyball. Raiyuu wasn't too particular on volleyball-she had always preferred outdoor sports-but she'd manage.  
  
" GIRLS!" The coach shouted. Instantly the buzz of girls talking amongst themselves died away.  
  
" This is gym, not a talk show. We're here to play sports, not to chat about your boyfriends."'  
  
A few students giggled. The girl beside Raiyuu-the one named Ishikawa- laughed softly. Raiyuu turned to smile at her.  
  
The coach frowned. " THAT WASN'T A JOKE!"  
  
Silence now. Raiyuu lifted her knee up to her chest, counting softly. Then down. Then the next knee. Then she stretched with her arms overhead. A little something Sendoh-san had taught her for loosening up the muscles in her arms. Good for volleyball practice, as arms were used more than half the time. Am I glad I trained with Oniichan over the summer.  
  
The coach cleared her throat, then spoke again. " Before we start, though, I would like to introduce someone to the class."  
  
Raiyuu's head immediately shot up, all thoughts of stretching gone from her head. Huh?  
  
The coach's voice was firm and clear. " She has won over ten gold medals and trophies in various meets around Japan. She was named " Most Graceful", and has appeared on TV more than once already. She also represented Japan for the gymnastics category in the SEA Games, and has brought home the silver medal."  
  
Cool, Raiyuu thought absently, stretching her other arm over her head. Wonder who she is.  
  
" And," the coach added, " She is a particular candidate for the next Olympic games. Not only that, but she plays the piano and the violin-first string in the orchestra-and still maintains her honor roll grades. Meet the most accomplished young lady you've ever seen-Ruona Tanizaki."  
  
" Ohhh.."  
  
The other girls, in awe, started to clap. Raiyuu watched as a black- haired girl stepped out from the crowd and walked lithely, almost gracefully, towards the coach. Raiyuu had to admit that she was indeed very pretty, from the way she carried herself and her long hair swishing behind her back. But there was something with her eyes.Raiyuu frowned, thinking. They look so.cold.  
  
" Cold, don't you think?"  
  
Ishikawa was speaking to her. Raiyuu turned towards the other girl. " Actually..yeah, kinda," she admitted.  
  
They both watched as Ruona coolly nodded at the coach and headed towards the mat set out for her. " She's been like that ever since we were young," Ishikawa said, almost apologetically. " But she's a nice girl, underneath all that," she added quickly as Raiyuu opened her mouth to speak.  
  
Raiyuu opened her mouth as if to speak, then thought better of it, shutting it again. She reconsidered and spoke once more. " You guys went to the same middle school?"  
  
" Yup," Ishikawa said. They both turned in time to watch Ruona perform a flip in mid-air as people applauded. Both followed suit, then turned back to their conversation. " We went to the same elementary school too, actually. She was a teacher's dream come true. Really good at academics, excellent in sports. She was also very nice to talk to." Ishikawa's voice faded away.  
  
Raiyuu raised her eyebrows. " What happened?"  
  
Ishikawa shrugged. " Actually, I don't know. After fourth grade, she mostly kept to herself ever since.that." She applauded as Ruona executed a graceful jump. " I honestly don't know anymore."  
  
" Oh." Raiyuu watched silently as Ruona landed on both her feet, bowing low. Loud applause followed not too soon after.  
  
" Okay, girls, practice!" their coach almost bellowed herself hoarse. " Showtime's over! Everyone grab a partner and START PASSING A BALL!"  
  
Before Raiyuu could even react, someone tapped her on the shoulder. Turning, she saw Ishikawa standing there, volleyball in one hand. " Partners?"  
  
Raiyuu smiled. " Sure."  
  
Ishikawa smiled back and tossed the ball in the air. Soon both girls were passing the ball back and forth almost effortlessly.  
  
" Hey, you're good," Ishikawa said approvingly as Raiyuu spiked the ball high into the air. " Where'd you learn to play?"  
  
" I don't know how to play," Raiyuu said modestly as she spiked the ball again. Ishikawa served her balls high. " I just, I don't know, hit it."  
  
" Cool." Ishikawa hit the ball back to Raiyuu's side. " You must be a natural born athlete."  
  
Raiyuu could feel herself turn slightly pink. " 'Course not." She hit the ball back rather hard. It bounced off the gym wall, nearly hitting their coach. Raiyuu grimaced. " I didn't mean that."  
  
Ishikawa ran off to retrieve the ball. Once she came back, both started passing again. " What's your favorite sport?" Ishikawa asked conversationally. She jumped in the air to hit the ball, which had flown rather high again. Their coach had noticed that, though. " Good work, Ishikawa."  
  
" Track and field." Raiyuu hit the ball back to Ishikawa. " Though I like baseball, too."  
  
" Really?" Ishikawa's eyes widened. She served the ball again. " You should try martial arts. Your arms and legs are probably strong-good for a martial artist."  
  
Raiyuu wrinkled her nose. " Nah. I'm having a hard enough time balancing schoolwork and sports. Maybe some other time." She hit the ball again successfully.  
  
" Over break, then." Ishikawa's ball came strong and fast. Raiyuu thought better and caught it instead of trying to hit it. " My cousin, Rukawa Kaede- you know him? He was the one who was asleep during homeroom-he used to take judo. But he got tired of it and decided to focus on basketball." Ishikawa shrugged. " Wasn't much of a loss, however. We soon learnt he was a lot better in basketball than at judo." She smiled faintly.  
  
Raiyuu's eyes widened. " Oh, Rukawa." She frowned. " Wait a minute. He's your cousin?" she served the ball again. Their coach was eyeing them both.  
  
" Uh-huh." Ishikawa hit the ball lightly. " You know him?"  
  
" He's my next door neighbor!" Raiyuu hit the ball back to her. No wonder she thought Ishikawa had looked familiar. Guess I've seen her already, once or twice in Rukawa's house, she thought silently. " He used to take judo?"  
  
Ishikawa grinned as she caught the ball. " Yup. He even--"  
  
The coach blew her whistle long and hard, startling everyone within a 4- mile radius. " GROUPS OF FOUR! EVERYBODY!"  
  
Ishikawa growled. " What's her deal?"  
  
Raiyuu wondered that, too. But she didn't say anything. Facing Ishikawa, she asked, " Who do we group--"  
  
Then she noticed that Ruona and another girl had appeared out of nowhere, and were speaking to Ishikawa.  
  
"-with." Raiyuu finished, muttering. Apparently Ishikawa had found another pair.  
  
" Raiyuu!" Ishikawa was grinning from ear to ear. " Meet Ruona Tanizaki."  
  
Raiyuu smiled at the world-famous gymnast. It was only then she realized that Ruona was shorter than her by about an inch. " Hi!"  
  
Ruona just raised her eyebrows in reply, but said nothing.  
  
1.2 Whoah.Raiyuu resisted the urge to back off a few steps. She was so cold..  
  
" And this is Mizuyuki Yuu." Ishikawa gestured towards the other girl. Mizuyuki Yuu was tall and lanky, with golden brown hair that fluttered in the breeze. She also had the biggest smile Raiyuu had ever seen on a human being.  
  
" Hi!!"  
  
Not to mention the bounciest body in the whole world, Raiyuu thought in silent amazement. The girl was all pumped up!  
  
" Hey." Raiyuu greeted Mizuyuki warmly, but with much less giddiness.  
  
The coach blew her whistle once more, but with less ferocity-to everyone's relief. " All right, people. There will be a test next meeting-I want to see how well all of you know this game." Her sharp eyes glanced into each and every of their faces. " Two on two. For the rest of the meeting, I just want you all to practice." She got ready to blow her whistle again, but stopped when she observed everyone was either covering their ears, or looking around frantically for a place to hide in. Shrugging, she took out a magazine and began flipping through its pages.  
  
Ishikawa was practically steaming at the ears. " You call that a teacher?! I'd love to get that-that-nuclear-weapon-of-a-whistle of hers and shove it up her ass!"  
  
" That's not a bad idea, giving the circumstances." Raiyuu mused, a not-so- good-gleam in her eye.  
  
The two turned simultaneously, eyeing the incriminating whistle hanging around the clueless sensei's neck.  
  
" heh-heh-heh-heh." Mizuyuki and Ruona sweatdropped as Raiyuu and Ishikawa grinned evilly, rubbing their hands together.  
  
" Um, ANYWAY," Mizuyuki cut in, " I really think we should start the game now-DON'T YOU THINK?" She spun around to face the other two, who were still staring at the whistle longingly. "Guys? Hello?" Waving a hand in front of their faces. " Anyone home?'  
  
" Huh?" The coach turned to see Sagara and Ishikawa staring at her. " What-- ?" Shaking her head, she returned to her magazine.  
  
Ruona sweatdropped. " Baka.'  
  
AN: Well? Reactions? Comments? Anything?? R&R.  
  
Raiyuu's brother is from Ryonan.I know, they're in different districts, don't ask me why I did that.I did that out of fun, to liven up the story a bit ^-^  
  
This part is a bit boring.the next chapters will be better.  
  
I don't own SD, btw. Just borrowing characters. 


	3. Chapter 3: Conflicts

1 Chapter III: " Conflicts"  
  
  
  
Mizuyuki smiled as she exited the shower room, feeling refreshed. She and Ruona had defeated Raiyuu and Kaede by-surprisingly, ten points! But that was probably because both were too focused on their evil plans for their poor sensei.  
  
But otherwise, high school was fine. So far.  
  
" Oi, Genki-ko!"  
  
Mizuyuki's head shot up at that name. " Don't call me that!" she whined as Yohei Mito approached her, smiling almost devilishly.  
  
Yohei smirked even more. " Genki. Ko." He lifted one finger for each of the words, forming the peace sign. He smiled brightly. " Eheh." But that was just probably because Mizuyuki had knocked him to the floor, getting ready to strangle him at any second.  
  
" Baka!" Mizuyuki let him stand again, though. " What do you want?"  
  
Yohei grinned apologetically. " I'm a little short of money. May I.borrow?" he held out his hand expectantly.  
  
Mizuyuki sighed. Her cousin could be so.so.  
  
She dug into her pocket. Feeling a lumpy object, she took it out and placed it in Yohei's open palm.  
  
He smiled. " Thanks." He looked down at his hand, and immediately his eyes bugged out. " What the--"  
  
Mizuyuki had placed a huge gummy rabbit in his hand. Yohei observed it more closely. It had green gummy eyes.  
  
He looked back up at his cousin-or where his cousin was. Mizuyuki was creeping away, snickering.  
  
" MIZUYUKI!" he shouted after his retreating cousin's back. " WHAT AM I GOING TO DO WITH A GUMMY ANIMAL?!"  
  
" I du-nno!" Mizuyuki said, grinning evilly. " Why don't you try borrowing money from it?!" Laughing loudly, she ran around a corner. " O-HO-HO-HO!" People jumped as she passed by them.  
  
Yohei frowned. He had forgotten about his cousin's selfish streak with money.  
  
He stared at the rabbit once more. " Hmm."  
  
Without a single thought, he stuffed it into his mouth.  
  
Whistling happily, Yohei went off in the other direction.  
  
~*~  
  
Ruona frowned as she checked her watch. Twelve oh five, noon.  
  
She didn't feel like eating lunch with anyone, though. Much more eat lunch at all.  
  
Maybe I'll just go play the piano.in the music room.Ruona's frown cleared. Yes, that's it. I need to clear my head. The piano would be good.  
  
Sliding the classroom door open, Ruona silently walked down the hall. Towards the music room.  
  
She didn't feel so happy. A dark song would do her good.  
  
As it always does, an inner voice told her.  
  
Ignoring the voice, she went on to her destination.  
  
~*~  
  
Kaede Ishikawa frowned. Where could that girl be?  
  
Asking around didn't help. No one had seen Ruona Tanizaki the whole time, after gym.  
  
Damn, she cursed silently. And I thought I could get to eat with her today.catch up on the good old times.can't believe she didn't tell me that she was also going to Shohoku.She stopped walking, then smiled. What am I saying? I can believe! This is Ruona, after all. The ever silent one.  
  
Kaede sighed, and clutched her lunch bag tightly, chewing on her lower lip. She could go and look for Raiyuu-that girl seemed like fun-or Mizuyuki.  
  
But.Kaede hesitated. Nah. I don't even know them that well.  
  
But still.they all seemed like such nice people.  
  
Oh well. Kaede shrugged, and started walking again. Where to go.  
  
Ahh.A thought struck Kaede. The roof! It's quiet there, no one will bug me.and.  
  
Without a single thought, she ran up to the rooftop of the school building.  
  
  
  
~*~  
  
Raiyuu frowned as she studied the problem carefully. What the--?  
  
She looked closer. Reading it carefully, word for word.  
  
" Dammit!" The pencil flew across the room as Raiyuu threw it, frowning. She couldn't understand the damn question-  
  
" Hi!"  
  
Huh? Raiyuu turned to face a sweet-looking girl, her hair in pigtails.  
  
The girl smiled sweetly. " Need some help?"  
  
Raiyuu raised her eyebrows. " What does it look like?" she gestured to her empty worksheet.  
  
" It sure looks like you do!" Another person had joined the girl in pigtails, this time a guy. He had a smile that could rival Mizuyuki's. " I can help you."  
  
" No, umm," Raiyuu started. These people were freaking her out. Why don't they stop smiling? " That's okay. I--" she shuddered as another one joined them. And another. Then another. Soon there was a group of not less than ten around her desk. And the worse thing was.they were all smiling.  
  
" I really don't need help," Raiyuu said, starting to back away. " Th- thanks anyway."  
  
One of them reached for her Trigonometry book. Raiyuu stifled a scream.  
  
No..must not.  
  
" NO!!" " I mean," she said, coughing, " no." she turned to the one holding her book. " Please?" Honestly, she was scared out of her wits already. Leave me alone.  
  
The girl who had Raiyuu's book glanced at her strangely. " Huh?" without hesitating, she flipped to the page with the problem. " Ohh, this?" She began scribbling furiously on a piece of paper. " First you have to do this, then you get the square of the number.there!" she said proudly. " Done!"  
  
Raiyuu grabbed the paper with the answer. " Ohhh." she looked up at the person, respect and awe in her eyes. " What's you name?"  
  
The girl smiled back at her. " I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours."  
  
~*~  
  
1.1 Finally.peace at last.  
  
Kaede sighed with contentedness as she watched the deep blue sky. There were hardly any clouds today...she took in a deep breath and smiled. My favorite type of day...  
  
Closing her eyes, Kaede drifted into a state of melancholy.  
  
Then was abruptly awakened by a loud snoring noise.  
  
Kaede frowned, and rubbed her eyes. She had a feeling she knew who that was.  
  
There was another snore, but it was much louder this time. Kaede sat up. It was useless trying to relax here, with all the noise and.  
  
" Kaede-kun," she muttered, as she watched her cousin sleeping on the ground. He was a few meters away from her, which explained the loud noises.  
  
Ishikawa sighed. Damn.  
  
A grin crept onto her face. Leaning in close to her cousin, she put her mouth right next to his right ear. Silence. Then another snore. Smothering a laugh, Ishikawa took in a deep breath, and.  
  
" Kaede!" she hissed in his ear.  
  
Rukawa shot up, looking disturbed. He looked around for the culprit, to see his cousin laughing hysterically by his side. " Gotyougotyougotyou!!!!"  
  
Rukawa frowned. " Nice to see you too." Apparently, he wasn't too happy about being woken up.  
  
Kaede stopped laughing, and observed her cousin's face more closely. " Aww, come on, Kaede,"  
  
She whined. " It was a joke, you know.don't take it too seriously."  
  
Rukawa glared at her a second more, then looked away, his gaze softening. " Hmph."  
  
Kaede smiled. It was easy to tame her usually belligerent cousin, as long as one knew the right strings to pull. " So, how're you?"  
  
Rukawa glanced at Kaede. " Sleepy."  
  
Kaede sweatdropped. " Um, I kinda figured that out myself." She then remembered she had her lunch. " I have some rice balls, Kaede-kun. Wanna split?"  
  
Rukawa shrugged. " Fine."  
  
A few minutes later, both were seated near the ledge of the school rooftop. Kaede was happily stuffing rice balls into her mouth as Rukawa just sat there, turning one over and over in his hands as if it were the most amazing thing on earth. Kaede decided to ignore his unusually strange behavior.  
  
" Aren't you hungry?"  
  
" No."  
  
Silence. Then, " Have you eaten lunch?"  
  
" Nope."  
  
Kaede sighed. " You really don't want to eat?"  
  
Rukawa turned to face her. " I need my sleep."  
  
Kaede frowned. " Not really. You sleep all day except for basketball practice! I'm surprised you've been passing all your subjects all this time."  
  
Rukawa just shrugged. " I'm good."  
  
" Whatever." Kaede rolled her eyes.  
  
Silence again. Rukawa popped the rice ball into his mouth, chewing it as slowly as possible.  
  
After he swallowed, he spoke, surprisingly. " You skip class. That's worse than sleeping in it," he pointed out. " At least I'm in the class."  
  
Kaede glowered at Rukawa. " Not all the time!" " Besides," she added, " I'm going to change. No more skipping class for me!" she popped the last rice ball into her mouth. " We're high school now."  
  
" Good for you." Rukawa noted.  
  
Kaede turned to face her cousin, looking thoughtfully at him. " You're not going to try to change?"  
  
It took a very long moment for Rukawa to answer. Finally.  
  
" No." he said matter-of-factly.  
  
Kaede fell to the ground.  
  
Rukawa got off the ledge and walked towards the exit. He gently shut the door behind him.  
  
Kaede just shook her head. My cousin the hopeless.  
  
~*~  
  
Raiyuu was enjoying herself. She was definitely enjoying herself.  
  
" So, Raiyuu," said Naoko, who was smiling brightly. " Tell us more about yourself." Her friends all nodded simultaneously, all with the same wide smile.  
  
Okay, so maybe they're a bit.weird, Raiyuu realized. But.they're so good.  
  
" Well," Raiyuu began, " I have a brother."  
  
" Ooh." all of them leaned in closer, smile growing wider.  
  
" Older or younger?" Naoko asked cheerfully.  
  
" Older," Raiyuu said without a thought. Then she noticed that Naoko was scribbling down notes. On my brother?! She disregarded it, though.  
  
" How old is he?" Another one pressed on eagerly.  
  
" Sixteen." Raiyuu frowned. Why were they asking so much questions? " Hey, why--"  
  
" He's year two?" from a guy in glasses.  
  
" Yup. Hey, why--"  
  
" What school?" This time it was the girl in pigtails who was asking.  
  
Why? Raiyuu wanted to snap. She kept her cool though. " Ryonan. Hey, can I know why you're all so eager to know--"  
  
Raiyuu froze as she saw the look on all their faces. Huh? Their smiles had frozen, as if.  
  
Naoko spoke again, but this time, more slowly.  
  
" What school again, did you say?" she said this with a forced smile on her face. Too forced, Raiyuu realized. Naoko's blue ballpen was poised over her pink notebook.  
  
Raiyuu swallowed.  
  
" Um, Ryonan?" she said tentatively, smiling weakly.  
  
Naoko's ballpen snapped in half.  
  
Raiyuu's smile froze, then faltered.  
  
1.2 Uh-oh.  
  
~*~  
  
Ruona slid the door to the music room open, feeling refreshed. A good song always makes me feel better. She had played Beethoven's Symphony No. 5, and that cheered her up. A lot.  
  
As she was about to step into the hall, a scream reached her ears.  
  
1.3 What the--?  
  
Ruona stepped back into the doorway-and just in time-as a girl ran down the hall, running at top speed. Behind her followed an angry mob of people, holding their ballpens up into the air. Skirts flew up, papers scattered everywhere as they all passed by. People jumped out of the way in time.  
  
Huh? Ruona's forehead creased. What was that-  
  
Then suddenly, she realized something.  
  
The angry mob was chasing Raiyuu.  
  
~*~  
  
Mizuyuki walked slowly, lost in thought.  
  
She didn't know what to do now. What was my next class again?  
  
Maybe she should go and find Yohei. He'd probably be a bit sore for what had happened awhile ago, but she knew that he wouldn't take it so-  
  
" MOVE! OUTTA THE WAY!!!! NOW!!!!"  
  
" AHH!" Mizuyuki jumped aside, eyes wide with fear, as a girl ran by her. Mizuyuki frowned. Who is that girl running from-  
  
" STOP RIGHT NOW, SAGARA RAIYUU!!"  
  
1.4 Sagara Raiyuu?! Isn't that.  
  
Mizuyuki stepped aside again, just in time as an angry mob of people ran on after Raiyuu, armed with ballpens. And they looked angry. A lot angry.  
  
" YOU'LL PAY FOR THIS, RYONAN-LOVER! SPY!!" the leader screamed. She had pigtails.  
  
Ryonan.something clicked in Mizuyuki's mind. Ryonan was a.high school. A rival of Shohoku's.  
  
1.5 What dud Raiyuu do now?  
  
~*~  
  
Raiyuu liked running, but this was ridiculous. She was running away from a bunch of idiots who happened to hate Ryonan High.Just my luck. Raiyuu pumped her legs faster, gasping for breath. I shouldn't have said Oniichan was from Ryonan.he owes me a lot.the kind of trouble I get into because of him.  
  
She ducked as something was thrown at her. Raiyuu looked at it as it flew by her. A.shoe?  
  
Raiyuu looked back to see them still behind her, at full charge. " HEY! WATCH IT!" she screamed at them.  
  
The response was likely. " DIE, RYONAN SCUM!" This time a hammer was thrown at her. Raiyuu ducked that easily.  
  
Raiyuu scowled and forced herself to run even faster. If I wanna survive today in one piece, something tells me to run from them! She ducked again as an alarm clock was chucked at her-where that came from, she had no idea.  
  
" GO CRAWL BACK FROM THE HOLE YOU CAME FROM, RYONAN YARO!"  
  
That pissed Raiyuu off. Fight fire with fire.  
  
She threw a fire extinguisher at them. " I'm not from Ryonan!!" she yelled back.  
  
1.5.1 THUG  
  
Silence. She had the feeling that got them.  
  
She willed herself to go even faster. And I actually thought they were nice people.she shuddered at the thought. I knew I should have followed my instincts. Run away!  
  
Raiyuu didn't see the stone in her pathway. Not until it was too late.  
  
1.5.2 Oh no.  
  
She fell over, face forward, into the dirt.  
  
Raiyuu groaned, and tried to stand up.  
  
She stopped when she felt a sharp object being poked into her side.  
  
" Don't move."  
  
Are they nuts?! Raiyuu panicked. Are they really going to-hurt me?  
  
She didn't move, though. " What?" she asked, in the steadiest voice she could muster.  
  
" You're done for, Ryonan lover."  
  
Raiyuu closed her eyes, wincing.waiting for the pain.  
  
It never came.  
  
Raiyuu opened her eyes.  
  
A guy whom she had never seen before was standing in front of her, blocking her from all her.oppressors.  
  
He spoke in a deep, clear voice.  
  
" Leave her alone. Now, if you know what's good for you."  
  
Raiyuu's eyes widened.  
  
Who is he?  
  
AN: Well.^-^ guess I'll post until here for now.  
  
This was my very very first SD fic, btw. My other fics came after I did this ( which can explain my crappy writing style). R&R pls! Be nice.  
  
I don't own SD, just borrowing the characters. 


	4. Chapter 4: Miyagi

Chapter IV: " Miyagi"  
  
  
  
Ryota Miyagi was restless today. He couldn't stop fidgeting. Which was stupid.  
  
It's just the first day of school, and already I'm so nervous. He ran a hand over his hair. What's with me?  
  
He had been walking all over school for the last few minutes already, not knowing what to do with himself. Finally he had decided to head over to the basketball court, shoot a few balls.work all the nervousness out of his system.  
  
He crouched down again, ad slowly lifted the ball into the air, visualizing his shot. Hit the board, and let it bounce off into the net.he released the ball gently but firmly. The swish of the net sounded as the ball went through smoothly. Miyagi smiled.  
  
Heh. All in a day's work.  
  
Deciding that was enough, Miyagi picked up the ball, and got ready to go back into class. Humming tunelessly as he stepped outside of the gym, his smile vanished when he noticed that they were at it-again.  
  
Miyagi shook his head, and headed towards the crowd of people.  
  
" Hey!" Miyagi shouted. " Break it up! Now!"  
  
People spun around, eyes widening once they recognized him. Their leader, Naoko, just smirked.  
  
" Oh, it's you, Ryota-kun," she sang out in a falsetto. " Look what I found."  
  
Miyagi frowned. " You know, Naoko, I really think you're taking this a bit too far." Naoko's little club could go overboard sometimes, really.Miyagi wondered who it was they had ambushed this time.last year it was a poor boy who had switched schools at the last minute.  
  
" B-But." Naoko stammered, " I-I caught this one just for you! For our team.." she turned her eyes towards the heavens. " For Shohoku."  
  
All the other members of the Ryonan-haters club nodded solemnly. " Hai."  
  
" She is a traitor, a spy," Naoko pronounced dramatically. " She must be punished! Immediately!"  
  
" Hai!" All the others chanted in unison. " Punished!"  
  
And you all need to see a psychiatrist, Miyagi thought silently. Immediately. But he didn't say anything.  
  
He pushed his way to the center of the crowd and blocked their victim from these particularly dangerous individuals.  
  
" Leave her alone. Now." he commanded them sternly. " If you know what's good for you."  
  
Naoko frowned. " No, you leave her alone." She said ominously. " Or I'll hurt her." She gestured to her companion, who had a ballpen cover pressed into the girl's side. " We're armed. With ballpens,"  
  
She added.  
  
Ryota could barely refrain from rolling his eyes. Ignoring Naoko and company, he proceeded to help the girl up. " You okay?" he asked.  
  
The girl looked up at him for the first time. Miyagi was taken aback. Such brown eyes.  
  
He immediately assumed this girl was a freshman, never have seen her around before. " Are you okay?" he repeated.  
  
The girl nodded slightly. " H-hai."  
  
Miyagi shrugged, and turned to leave. But before hec ould, he felt something sharp poking into his neck. Turning, he saw Naoko pressing the point of a ballpoint pen into his neck.  
  
" Drop her," she commanded. " I'm not afraid to use my signpen."  
  
" Well, I'm afraid you won't be able to," Miyagi frowned. He pushed it away. " Don't you have anything better to do?"  
  
Naoko frowned. " YOU, RAIYUU SAGARA!" she screamed after the girl Miyagi had just rescued.  
  
" WE'LL BE WATCHING YOU!"  
  
Miyagi sighed again. " Ignore them," he told the girl named Raiyuu. " The most they can do is stick a ballpen to your neck and threaten your life. Nothing much."  
  
" Well, I'm glad of that." Raiyuu shrugged. She cast a look at Miyagi. " Thanks for helping me back there."  
  
" Hey, no problem," Miyagi assured her. " They've been doing this since I was a freshman. But the trick is to basically ignore them. They can't hurt you.much," he added, remembering what had happened to the student who studied in Ryonan.he thought it best not to mention to Raiyuu that that student had ended up in the hospital for about a week.  
  
" Cool." the girl named Raiyuu smiled. She stopped in her tracks. " Well, guess this is where I gotta go now. Thanks again." she trailed off. " I don't even know your name."  
  
" Miyagi. Miyagi Ryota." Miyagi said, in answer to her question. " I'm a sophomore."  
  
Silence. " Miyagi." Raiyuu Sagara smiled. " Well, guess I'll be seeing you around." She turned away.  
  
Miyagi just looked on after the younger girl.  
  
" See you."  
  
AN: A bit short, I know.well..*_* don't really have much to say.  
  
R&R please!!! Be nice!!! Do I have to tell you I have incredibly low self- esteem ( actually I don't. hahahaha ) I'm weird. Sue me. ( Or not. Forget I said that.)  
  
I don't own SD, just borrowing characters. 


	5. Chapter 5: Commotion

1.1.1.1 Chapter V: " Commotion"  
  
Mizuyuki stepped out of her class, which luckily, happened to be the last class for the day. Turning to her right, she saw Raiyuu walking down the hallway.  
  
Mizuyuki smiled, and ran on after her friend. " Raiyuu!"  
  
Raiyuu turned and smiled back." Oh, hey, Mizuyuki."  
  
The two fell in step as they headed towards the exit. Already the hall was a mess; students milling all around them. Mizuyuki struggled to hear Raiyuu's voice.  
  
" What happened to you awhile ago?" Mizuyuki asked.  
  
Raiyuu grimaced. " You wouldn't want to know." she quickened her pace and lowered her voice so only Mizuyuki could hear. " I was attacked by the Down- with-Ryonan people."  
  
Mizuyuki was puzzled. " Why?"  
  
" I made the mistake of mentioning to them that my brother was from Ryonan." Raiyuu cringed. "They went nuts after that."  
  
" Ohhh." Mizuyuki nodded slowly. " You caused quite some trouble with that thing, don't you think?"  
  
" Um.actually, you're right." Raiyuu clutched her books tighter. " Boy, is oniichan going to owe me a lot after this.I could have been stabbed to death by ballpoints!"  
  
" Say what?" Mizuyuki sweatdropped.  
  
Raiyuu shook her head quickly. " Never mind."  
  
~*~  
  
The bell rang, jolting Ruona from her thoughts. Finally, the end of the day.  
  
She wasn't focusing too well on her classes today. Ruona had no idea why, but..she lifted her chin up. She'd just have to study extra hard when she got home from school.  
  
" .Understand, class?" the sensei said. " You are to submit that by Monday."  
  
Huh? Ruona frowned. What was he talking about-  
  
She hadn't been listening to the sensei!  
  
She looked down at her neatly jotted down notes. It didn't say anything there about any take-home schoolwork, though.  
  
Ruona realized that she'd have to ask somebody for the homework. She sighed. What a hassle.  
  
She turned to the student nearest to her. " Excuse me, but may I please know what the home work is?" she asked as politely as possible.  
  
The student just gazed coolly at her for a moment. He was tall, with a shock of black hair laying messily in his eyes. He also looked a little bleary-eyed. Ruona could have sworn he had just woken up.  
  
He then spoke. " I don't know what it is." he said quietly.  
  
What?  
  
Ruona couldn't help but speak again. " How can you not know?" Which was a very inappropriate question, considering she herself didn't know.  
  
The student frowned at her before turning away. " That's none of your business."  
  
1.1.2 What.  
  
Ruona fumed inwardly, but kept her cool outside. He was rude!  
  
She picked up her belongings and practically stormed out of the classroom, only to be ambushed by no one other than Kaede Ishikawa. " Knew I'd find you here!"  
  
Ruona raised her eyebrows. " How'd you know?"  
  
Ishikawa grinned. " Oh, I have my sources." She fell in step with Ruona as they proceeded out of the classroom. " How's life treating you, my stubborn friend?"  
  
Ruona considered telling her about the rude guy, but decided to keep it quiet. Kaede didn't really have to know it anyway.  
  
" Fair enough." She shifted her bag from one hand to another. She didn't bother to ask about Ishikawa's.  
  
Kaede just smiled. " You haven't changed at all, Ruona."  
  
Ruona just kept silent.  
  
They walked outside, into the courtyard. Both girls were quiet, just taking pleasure in the company of each other. Nothing much to say, really.  
  
" What time is it?" Ishikawa's voice broke into Ruona's thoughts.  
  
Ruona checked her watch. " Three thirty-four."  
  
The other girl frowned. " Oh.it's nearly time for Kaede-kun's basketball practice!" Stepping away from Ruona, she made her way towards the gym. " Gotta go.have to tell him something!" she broke into a run. " See ya!"  
  
Ruona just shrugged once more, seemingly staring off into empty space. " 'Bye."  
  
  
  
~*~  
  
Damn.I forgot to tell him that I knew Raiyuu! Ishikawa cursed silently, running as fast as she could. Wonder if he knows that already.maybe I could ambush him before basketball.She stopped by the door of the gym, breathing hard. Kaede proceeded to open the door--  
  
but stopped short though, when she thought she heard something.  
  
Against better judgement, Kaede looked behind the wall of the gym.  
  
She didn't regret that she did. Two students-seniors, probably-were bullying what looked like a freshman. Kaede's eyes narrowed. She approached the two.  
  
Kaede tapped the one nearest to her. " Excuse me? I really think you shouldn't do that."  
  
He just grunted and shoved her hand away. Still taunting the younger student.  
  
Kaede frowned. She didn't like being dissed off.  
  
She punched him square in the shoulder. " HEY, did you hear me?"  
  
The two seniors turned around slowly, staring at her, sizing her up. The freshman saw his chance and escaped.  
  
The bigger one narrowed his eyes. " Tough one, huh?"  
  
Kaede raised an eyebrow. " Wanna make something outta it?"  
  
The smaller one laughed unpleasantly, cracking his knuckles. " Oh, feisty. I like that type."  
  
He glanced at his partner. " Easy meat."  
  
" I don't think so." Kaede said softly, smirking. She got ready as the two advanced on her, grinning evilly.  
  
I'll just talk to Kaede-kun later.she ducked as a fist flew fast at her. If I get through this thing alive, that is.  
  
1.1.3  
  
~*~  
  
Raiyuu rounded one corner, looking right and left.  
  
Good. No Ryonan-hater in sight.  
  
She sighed in relief. Phew.she rolled up her sleeves. A few more corners, and I'm outta here.  
  
She had been sneaking around buildings for the last few minutes. Somehow, she couldn't get Naoko's words out of her head. 'We'll be watching you.' she shivered subconsciously.  
  
Ah, stop that, Raiyuu! A voice chided her. You're no wuss!  
  
" Right," she muttered under her breath. " No wuss." She took in a deep breath, then-  
  
Someone tapped her on the shoulder. " Raiyuu."  
  
" AHHHHHHH!!!"  
  
Raiyuu jumped about a mile. She turned around, eyes fearful, ready to face the enemy.  
  
To find her brother staring at her strangely.  
  
" Huh?" Sendoh Akira frowned. " Raiyuu?"  
  
" Oh!"  
  
Raiyuu's heartbeat slowed down, and relief flooded her. " It's only you!"  
  
" Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" Sendoh seemed amused by what his sister had said. " C'mon, let's get home." He gave her a closer look. " Is there something wrong?"  
  
" Uh.no! no, of course not!" Raiyuu said hastily.  
  
Then she frowned.  
  
" Yes, there is. You got me in trouble, oniichan!" Raiyuu grimaced. " With ballpens!"  
  
Sendoh raised his eyebrows. " Me? Why?" he seemed confused. " Ballpens?!"  
  
" Never mind." Raiyuu decided to shrug it off instead, waving a hand dismissively. " Why are you here?"  
  
" What's wrong with fetching my sister from school?" Sendoh said with mock- hurt. " And besides," he added, " I've always wanted to check Shohoku out. We're going against them in the tournament."  
  
Raiyuu sweatdropped. " So now we know the real reason."  
  
Sendoh grinned, and crooked an arm around Raiyuu's neck. " Don't be a moron. I also wanted to see you, you know."  
  
" Yeah right." Still, Raiyuu grinned. " The Shohoku team is practicing right about now.I think. Wanna watch them?"  
  
" Sure." Her brother replied breezily. " This should prove interesting."  
  
" Oh?" Raiyuu's eyebrow went up. " You sound so cocky today."  
  
Her brother just shrugged. " We'll see."  
  
Raiyuu wasn't sure, but she thought she heard a light threat in his tone of voice.  
  
~*~  
  
Ishikawa ducked another punch, sidestepped, and delivered an uppercut to the burlier one. Then she turned and delivered a flying kick to the second one.  
  
The smaller one grunted. " She's good." he took his hand away from his mouth. Blood dripped from it.  
  
" Yes," the other one seethed, " But NOT GOOD ENOUGH!" roaring, he stood, and attacked her again, with a punch to the abdomen.  
  
Ishikawa sidestepped his attack once more. " You'll have to do better than that." she snickered.  
  
The smaller man delivered a kick to her head. Ishikawa ducked just in time, stepping away from the two, still in the ready stance.  
  
These two are good, too.Ishikawa thought, breathing heavily. I might have a hard time.  
  
She ducked once more as the bigger one delivered another punch to her, this time to her face. Ishikawa scowled, and twisted in mid-air to kick him in the face. " Didn't your mother ever teach you your manners?"  
  
He scowled, blood dripping from his nose. He wiped it away. " Whore."  
  
Ishikawa raised her eyebrows. " Shut up."  
  
She heard footsteps from behind her. Anticipating an attack, she turned around.  
  
The smaller guy had gotten hold of a stone, and was about to smash it over her head.  
  
No! Ishikawa internally screamed. She gave the guy a punch kick to the stomach, then a snap kick. He slumped to the ground, unconscious. " Don't ever do that to me." she told the unmoving body with clenched teeth. I hate an opponent who attacks from the-  
  
All of a sudden, pain coursed through her body. Ishikawa fell forward, one step, then collapsed. Opening her mouth, she spat out blood. There was a dull ache in the back of her head.  
  
--back.  
  
Her eyes rolling up in her head, Ishikawa fell to the earth, unmoving.  
  
The other student stood behind her, a large stone in hand. He was also smiling menacingly.  
  
~*~  
  
Raiyuu gasped when she saw the horrible scene. Ishikawa lay on the ground, her head bleeding. Behind her was another person. He too, was lying on the ground. Above both of them was another student. Laughing almost triumphantly, he got ready to smash the stone on Ishikawa's head once more, then-  
  
A hand held him back. " Don't." Sendoh said softly.  
  
The man looked at Sendoh, anger in his eyes. " You can't stop me!" he pulled his hand free of Sendoh's grasp, then drew it back to punch him.  
  
Sendoh caught the hand in mid-swing. " Yes, I can." Quietly.  
  
The student actually looked frightened. " You-you--" he backed away one step. Then another.  
  
" You'll pay for this!" he turned around, then ran away, not looking back.  
  
Raiyuu watched as Ishikawa stirred, mumbling something. Immediately she ran over to her side.  
  
" Ishikawa!" Raiyuu asked. " Are you all right?"  
  
" I'm fine." Ishikawa murmured, rubbing the back of her head. " My head hurts, though."  
  
" It's bleeding," Sendoh said firmly as he joined his sister. " You'll need to see a doctor."  
  
" It is? No, it's not.oww." Ishikawa winced as she gingerly touched the back of her head, drawing it back only to see a sticky red substance on her fingers. Blood. " Damn."  
  
" What happened?" Raiyuu asked. " What did you do?"  
  
Ishikawa sat up, wincing slightly. " Had a fight. They were bullying this other student, so I felt I had to go ahead and stop them."  
  
" You knocked him out?" Sendoh nodded toward the unmoving figure beside them.  
  
" Kinda." Ishikawa winced once more. " Ouch."  
  
Sendoh let out a low whistle. " Whoah."  
  
Raiyuu however, was a lot more concerned. " Hey, we've got to get you to the hospital," she said, trying to help her friend up.  
  
Ishikawa shook her head. " No hospitals," she fretted. " My parents will get upset. I'll-I'll treat it by myself."  
  
" You'll just get caught." A voice joined in. " I'd suggest you go to my house to have it fixed up."  
  
Rukawa-kun stood by the doorway, silently dribbling a ball. Apparently he had heard the entire conversation.  
  
Ishikawa smiled faintly at her cousin. " Thanks." She raised her eyebrows. " Basketball practice is over?"  
  
Rukawa just shrugged.  
  
Sendoh raised his eyebrows as he looked at Rukawa. " Interesting," he finally said.  
  
AN: AHHH!!!! Sendoh lovers, don't kill me!!!! *ducks as objects are thrown at her*  
  
Yes, he is indeed Raiyuu's brother. Or stepbrother, whatever you call it.  
  
Comments? R&R! Be nice!  
  
I don't own SD, just borrowing characters. 


	6. Chapter 6: Complications

1.1.1.1 Chapter VI: " Complications"  
  
" Guess I'll see you home later, won't I?"  
  
" Yup. See ya, oniichan!"  
  
Raiyuu waved cheerfully at Sendoh as he entered their home. Turning back to the two cousins, she shrugged. " So where to now?"  
  
Ishikawa barely heard her question. " Y'know, Raiyuu, your brother is really.something." There was a slight blush on her cheeks which gave a clue to Raiyuu to what that something was.  
  
Raiyuu smirked. " Hey. Hands offa him." She paused as Rukawa finally unlocked the door and stepped aside to let both girls in. " No running after my brother."  
  
Ishikawa smirked back at her. " I didn't say I was going to do that."  
  
" That's what it looks like."  
  
Rukawa intervened. " Tea?"  
  
" No, thank you." Ishikawa mumbled under her breath as she flopped down on their couch.  
  
Raiyuu shrugged. " Tea is fine."  
  
Ishikawa smirked at her cousin. " Last time I heard, you didn't know how to make tea."  
  
" You don't know everything." Rukawa said with such an air that left Ishikawa fuming. She couldn't understand sometimes how.annoying this cousin of hers could sound.  
  
" Anyway," Ishikawa said, turning back to Raiyuu. " I don't like your brother. So don't go getting any ideas."  
  
" Yeah right." Rukawa passed by the two girls as he proceeded to the kitchen. Ishikawa threw a pillow at his head for the unnecessary comment. The only thing he threw back at her was an ice pack and gauze bandages.  
  
Ishikawa sighed and pressed the compress to her head, sighing with relief. " Thanks." All anger forgotten. Raiyuu shook her head. " You guys are weird."  
  
" You only figured that out?" Ishikawa had a glint of mischief in her eyes. " Hey, can I ask how Sendoh-san ended up your brother? I don't get it." touching her head tentatively, she pressed the ice pack to her head again and cursed loudly. Raiyuu raised an eyebrow.  
  
" We're half-brother and sister. My father met his mother, and the rest is history. Or something like that." Raiyuu grinned. " Why do you ask?"  
  
" Never mind." Ishikawa let her hair down, letting it ripple softly around her shoulders. Slowly she wrapped the gauze around her head. " Just asking."  
  
Raiyuu looked at her curiously. " You know how to do that thing?"  
  
" Uh-huh," Ishikawa replied carelessly. " Done it a million times."  
  
Raiyuu frowned. " You get in trouble that much?"  
  
"." Ishikawa offered no answer.  
  
Rukawa entered the room once more, carrying a teapot and two cups of tea. He set it down on the coffee table, pouring tea into the cup. Ishikawa watched him with interest as he offered Raiyuu a cup. " Sure she wouldn't die from it?"  
  
Rukawa scowled at her. " No comment."  
  
Just at that moment, Raiyuu choked on her tea, coughing. Immediately, both Kaedes stood up, watching their friend with both amusement and worry.half- worry.  
  
" What?" Ishikawa asked. " What happened?"  
  
Raiyuu's coughs finally subsided. " You guys crack me up," was all she said.  
  
The two cousins looked at each other for a moment, scowled, and turned away from each other.  
  
~*~  
  
The news of what had happened to Ishikawa had spread like wildfire in Shohoku. People turned to stare as Ishikawa, now known as " The girl who beats up seniors", stalked the halls beside Mizuyuki, also now known as " Genki-ko!" started by Yohei Mito. Raiyuu, also now known as " Ryonan- lover", and Ruona, who was also called " The Ice Chick" would also hang out with them, not half the time, but all the time. The four were now regularly seen together, almost everywhere. Ishikawa was the tough one, Mizuyuki the happy one, Ruona the silent one, and Raiyuu the sarcastic-in-a-weird-sort- of-way one. And everything was well.  
  
For a while, at least.  
  
After school, one week after the first day. Raiyuu was practicing her lay- up shots by the basketball court, a few minutes before basketball club could start. Ishikawa sat by the benches, watching lazily as Raiyuu shot baskets, one after the other.  
  
" Y'know, you should join the basketball team," she commented as Raiyuu shot another perfect shot.  
  
" You're perfect!"  
  
" Say what?" Raiyuu concentrated, and shot the ball. It missed by a mile. " That's an all boys team. What are you talking about?!"  
  
" Oh." The smirk on Ishikawa's face was priceless. " Guess it slipped my mind."  
  
Raiyuu scowled good-naturedly, and threw the basketball at her friend. " Shuttup."  
  
Ishikawa grinned, catching the ball. " Heh."  
  
Ruona shrugged. Sitting by the bench also, she was focusing on her homework. " Quiet." She stood up, slamming her book shut, and calmly walked out of the gym. She passed by Kogure as he entered the gym. He gave her a polite nod as he passed by her, taken aback by the rude greeting she had given him.  
  
" That's a nice friend you have there," he commented to Ishikawa and Raiyuu. He had gotten to know them as they always stayed at the court after school. " Very.quiet." He finished, catching the ball Ishikawa threw to him.  
  
" That's an understatement," Raiyuu muttered under her breath. She laughed as Ishikawa punched her on the shoulder.  
  
Ishikawa looked at Kogure innocently. " Wanna shoot some balls?"  
  
Kogure grimaced. " Err.not really." Recalling the time both girls had gone two-on-one on him.  
  
" Maybe.some other time."  
  
" Like never," Raiyuu said as the other basketball club members filed in the gym. She jumped off the bench, dragging Ishikawa with her. " C'mon, let's go watch from the sides."  
  
" Oh, wait!" Kogure suddenly said. Both girls turned to see him running after them. Pulling a piece of paper out of his pocket, he fumbled with his glasses. " You're freshmen, right?"  
  
" Yeah." Both girls exchanged looks. Why did he ask that?  
  
" So, I'm supposing you know Ruona Tanizaki?" Kogure asked hurriedly. He squinted at the piece of paper, making sure he read it correctly. " The gymnast prodigy?"  
  
" Actually," Raiyuu spoke. " We do know her."  
  
" Why do you need to know?" Ishikawa interrupted. " Just curious."  
  
He gave the two a sheepish grin. " It's a project," he explained. " Interview an accomplished person and ask how his goals were attained, information like that. And it happens I was assigned to her. Is she that good?" he pressed on. "I've heard a lot of good things about her.I was actually relieved she was younger than me.it would be a lot easier.hey, she might even treat me like her older brother.always wanted to have a little sister." he trailed off. " Oh, sorry. What was I saying?" Kogure cleared his throat. " Do you two know her?"  
  
Ishikawa and Raiyuu just stared at him, deadpan. Then they pointed towards the exit.  
  
Kogure frowned. " Excuse me?"  
  
Ishikawa spoke first. " That girl you saw awhile ago?" she said slowly. " That was Ruona Tanizaki."  
  
Kogure's jaw dropped to the ground.  
  
~*~  
  
" HI EVERYBODY!"  
  
People turned and cringed. Others just waved back at her.  
  
" Oi, Mizuyuki!"  
  
" Hi!" Mizuyuki cheerfully waved back at them as she passed by.  
  
" Genki-chan!"  
  
Mizuyuki frowned, and skidded to a stop. " Who called me that?"  
  
Silence. She saw Ohkuso edging towards the entrance of the gym.  
  
" BAKA!"  
  
Before Ohkuso realized anything else, he was on a heap in the floor. Mizuyuki skipped ahead once more, smiling happily.  
  
" Haruko-chan!"  
  
Haruko Akagi turned and smiled at the girl behind her. " Mizuyuki-chan!" She had grown to know and like the girl who sat behind her in Chemistry class. Haruko gave out her most encouraging smile yet. " How are you doing?"  
  
" Fine." Mizuyuki skidded to a stop in front of Haruko. " And you?"  
  
Before Haruko could answer, a shadow loomed in front of them. Mizuyuki and Haruko looked up to see the source.  
  
It was a tall figure, clad in blue. His messy hair covering his dark eyes, he glanced at them for a moment before turning away, dribbling a ball. Mizuyuki had seen him once or twice only, but never talked to him. He was also known as.  
  
" Rukawa-kun." Haruko sighed.  
  
Mizuyuki frowned. " Rukawa who?"  
  
" Oh!" Haruko turned to Mizuyuki. " That's Kaede Rukawa," she said, a blush spreading on her cheeks. " He came from Fujigaoka Junior High. He's in basketball club." she trailed away.  
  
Mizuyuki's brow furrowed as she stared after his retreating figure. " I don't like him."  
  
" Why?" Haruko was surprised. " What's there not to like about him?" she covered her mouth, just realizing what she had said.  
  
Mizuyuki took no notice, though. " He's too.serious. Uptight," she finished. " He needs to loosen up." He's just like Ruona, she observed silently.  
  
Haruko shrugged. " Well.I think he's fine the way he is." she said.  
  
Mizuyuki shrugged. " Whatever." Suddenly, she brightened up again. " You gonna go watch basketball practice, like yesterday?" she had gone last time with Haruko and her friends, since she couldn't seem to find her own friends. It was fun.kinda, except for the fact she was banned from going even within five meters of the court by Haruko's brother. She always had to stay by the entrance. Life was never fair.  
  
Haruko nodded. " I am. Join us again?"  
  
" Okay!" Mizuyuki nodded vigorously. Now I can see what this Kaede Rukawa is made of.  
  
~*~  
  
Ruona settled by the edge of the wall, setting her books in her lap. Honestly, sometimes her friends could be so noisy at times. Sighing, she took in a deep breath. Maybe I'll be able to finish this thing here so I can work on my project at home. She opened her notebook and her lecture book. She got settled to copy the first answer down when a shadow loomed over her. A very big shadow.  
  
Huh? Ruona looked up, squinting against the sunlight.  
  
He was big, with a very muscular and sturdy build. His eyebrows were also knotted together in a frown, his lips curled up in dismay. He regarded her coolly. " Are you a friend of Kaede Ishikawa's?"  
  
Ruona raised her eyebrows. " What would you care?" She slammed her book shut once more, and tried to walk away slowly. She knew danger when she saw it.  
  
But she learnt escape was futile. The moment she tried to step away, people pressed into her from all sides. Huge people, leering at her silently. Ruona frowned. What did they want out of Kaede?  
  
The huge man smiled, seeing the look on Ruona's face. " Let me repeat the question," he said slowly. "Do you know Kaede Ishikawa?"  
  
Ruona frowned. " No," she finally said. " I don't."  
  
" Are you sure?" he said softly. " Maybe you'd want to change your mind." there was something glinting in his right hand. Ruona peered at it closely. Was it.a knife?  
  
Ruona spoke again. " No, I don't," she repeated loudly. " And even if I did, you have no business to do with her."  
  
" That's what you think." The man said sharply. He stepped closer to Ruona, his dark eyes menacing. "Tell me again, where is she?"  
  
Ruona refused to answer. She kept silent, just glaring at the man.  
  
Finally, he spoke again. " Fine," he grunted. " Have it your way." He lifted a huge, meaty hand. Ruona eyed it closely. She could move away if he tried to hurt her-  
  
" Don't lay a finger on her, Hotta," a voice warned. " Your business is with me, not with either of my friends."  
  
Ruona looked up to see Ishikawa standing in front of them, frowning. Raiyuu stood at her side, her arms crossed, eyes narrowed.  
  
Ruona shook her head. " Go away, Ishikawa," she said quietly. " These men are after you."  
  
" I know." Ishikawa replied calmly. Stepping forward, she wagged a finger at the man named Hotta. "Come. Fight," she said simply.  
  
Hotta scowled. " You're in trouble, freshman," he warned. " No one messes with Mitsui and his group." He laughed throatily.  
  
Ruona's mind reeled. Mitsui? Who's.Mitsui?  
  
  
  
AN: Hmmm...*thinks hard*  
  
I'm not sure, but genki means something like 'happy', ne?  
  
Ishikawa kinda has an interest in Sendoh...but not quite. Well, I think so. Maybe. Whatever! ^-^ I'm all mixed up. Just ask my friends.  
  
R&R please! Comments? Mail them.  
  
I don't own SD, just borrowing characters.  
  
What was Mitsui's old group called again? And I don't know any of their names, except for Hotta...forgot who the rest were. Hehe, sorry. 


	7. Chapter 7: Mitsui

1 Author's note: Hey there! Sorry it took me such a long time to upload the next chapter. Let's say I was busy with schoolwork, k? ( well, I was...)  
  
Anyway...was reading the reviews. Well, let's see....hehe, I'll just save that after the chapter is over. For now, on with the story.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own SD, just borrowing the characters.  
  
2  
  
3 Chapter VII: " Mitsui"  
  
  
  
Ishikawa scowled after studying Hotta for a moment. Finally, she spoke.  
  
" I don't really give a damn as to whose group I mess with," she said coolly. " But I'd really like it if you kept 'our business' our business, and quit sharing it with any of my friends." Her gaze slid to Ruona, and back to him after a while. " You get my drift?" She smiled, but there was no laughter in her eyes.  
  
Hotta scowled. " That was the wrong thing to say, freshman."  
  
He turned to the other people behind him. " Let's get them."  
  
No one held back. Before the command was even completely out of his mouth, people—seniors—attacked from all sides. Ishikawa just growled and charged. Raiyuu stood in a defensive stance.  
  
Ruona ducked the blows easily and gracefully, having had over five years worth of training concerning flexibility and agility. She was also the first to fall though, when one of them caught her with a punch to the face. She fell to the ground instinctively, covering her mouth at the same time, ducking blows from two men who attacked at her the same time.  
  
Raiyuu turned to see her fallen comrade as she let loose with a strong punch to someone's face. "Ruona!"  
  
Ruona merely shrugged. " I'm fine." She lowered her hands to reveal a bleeding lip. It had split open. Not hesitating, she turned and kicked the nearest guy in the…lower area.  
  
He groaned, falling to the floor. Ishikawa grimaced at the scene. " Ouch." She grabbed someone by the shoulders, and with full force, brought him down unto her knee. " You doing fine there?" she yelled at Raiyuu.  
  
" Never been better," Raiyuu shouted back. She elbowed another's face as she punched another one's too at the same time. " But I could use a little back-up!"  
  
" I'm trying to!" Ishikawa yelled again. " But it's ha--" She stopped short as another guy punched her in the stomach, at full force. She fell back a few steps, collapsing. " Hard." She finished weakly.  
  
" Ishikawa!" Raiyuu punched the one she was fighting in the stomach too, for good measure. Then she did her best to run over to Ishikawa, which was hard considering people were coming at her from all sides. Ruona though, was doing her best to keep them off, using a wooden stick she had found lying around the gym.  
  
" Don't do that!" Ishikawa screamed at Raiyuu. " You're still fighting! Fend for yourself!" She hurriedly raised her legs to kick one out of her path, and to trip another one trying to sneak up on Ruona's back. " Watch your back! These boys are ruthless backstabbers!"  
  
" I noticed." Raiyuu staggered a little, holding her right arm to herself, wincing. Another student had found a stick just like Ruona's, and had hit her square in the arm. Now her right arm was engulfed in pain. " We're kind of outnumbered too."  
  
" Well, that's your fault," Hotta retorted calmly. " You should have thought of that before you challenged any of us." He punched Ruona in the stomach, evading her stick. Ruona's eyes grew wide, her face pale. She dropped her stick.  
  
Ishikawa scowled as she stood up shakily. " No one asked you to involve any of them in this!"  
  
" You were practically begging for it, freshman."  
  
" I was not."  
  
" Not verbally." Hotta smirked as he hit Ruona again.  
  
Ishikawa didn't have a good answer to that. Instead, she approached Hotta calmly…and delivered a swift kick to his head, the strongest one she could muster. Hotta swore and stepped away from Ruona, muttering. Ishikawa grinned. She had always been told her roundhouse kicks were her strongest.  
  
" Well?" she asked. " Lay your hands off her. This fight is between you and me…or," she added, "you, your group of friends, and me. So leave mine alone."  
  
" Cocky." This came from a student Raiyuu had fought earlier. He stood up, smirking as he approached Ishikawa. " We'll see…"  
  
" Stupid girl." From another student. " You asked for it."  
  
Hotta shrugged. " You said it, I didn't."  
  
All fighters immediately left the other two girls alone, instead circling around Ishikawa. Raiyuu shook her head. Ishikawa was so…foolish at times! Or was it brave? Either way, she was risking a very painful death.  
  
Ruona joined Raiyuu as they stood there, watching the others. The colder girl wiped a stream of blood away from her mouth silently, regarding the fight. What she was thinking, Raiyuu couldn't guess.  
  
Then before anything else could happen…  
  
" Stop."  
  
Everyone turned to see the source. A tall man, who looked about six feet something, stood behind Ruona and Raiyuu. He had long, jet-black hair, with touches of blue. His cobalt eyes seemed to penetrate everything within his path. He was also wearing a… mask, the type one put around the mouth.  
  
" Mitsui!" All the other students fighting Ishikawa, or rather, trying to, stopped all at once, and faced the newcomer. Ishikawa just stood there, confused.  
  
Raiyuu's eyes widened in understanding. So this was the Mitsui that guy was talking about…the leader of the gang, possibly.  
  
" What's going on?" his deep voice had an edge to it that got on Raiyuu's nerves. However, there was something else to it…  
  
Hotta stepped forward. " This is the Kaede Ishikawa that Ryuji and Kamura have been talking about." He glanced at her sideways, then averted his eyes back to their leader. " The freshman who is trying to make a name for herself as a… gangster." He said the last word with scorn.  
  
Ishikawa was shaking with fury. " What?! I am doing no such thing!" Her eyes seething, she glared at  
  
Hotta. If looks could kill, Hotta would have been roasted to death on the spot.  
  
The gang leader just smirked. " Oh really?"  
  
Walking up to Ishikawa, he looked her over carefully from all sides, as Ishikawa struggled to keep her fists at her sides. It wouldn't do good to punch the gang's leader…she knew that she'd be dead and buried before she could even say Roadkill.  
  
Finally Mitsui spoke. " This? An aspiring gangster?" He laughed scornfully. " Try again next year, little girl."  
  
" LITTLE GIRL?!"  
  
Ishikawa's fist flew at Mitsui's face—but he had caught her by the wrist single-handedly. They locked gazes with each other, neither one wanting to falter first. Mitsui's lips twitched.  
  
" I'm impressed at your guts."  
  
He tightened his hold on her wrist until Ishikawa could barely hold back a scream. Tears started to roll down her face. Finally, he let her sore wrist go, enjoying the tortured—and angry—expression she wore.  
  
" Unfortunately, guts aren't good enough." He turned and strolled away from Ishikawa, back to his group. " Let's go, boys." They all walked slowly away from the scene.  
  
As soon as they were gone, Ruona and Raiyuu ran over to Ishikawa, who was still staring after Mitsui's retreating back, breathing hard. She hadn't bothered to wipe the tears off her face.  
  
Raiyuu spoke first. " Ishikawa? Are you all right?" she cautioned.  
  
Ishikawa turned to her, eyes full of fury.  
  
" Whoever that Mitsui was," she began shakily, " I swear—and I swear to hell, that I'm really, really going to make him pay for this." She stalked away, seething. " This is war." She was still clutching her injured wrist.  
  
Ruona and Raiyuu exchanged puzzled looks.  
  
They had never in their whole life seen a person so angry.  
  
  
  
Okaaay....anyhow...now to answer to the people who reviewed:  
  
Nightjade: hehe, thanks! I take it that you are a Yohei and Miyagi fan...?  
  
Raiyuu: No comment. *grin* you can bug me in school instead.  
  
Confusedsaddisappointedandwhatelse: long name, don't you think? Anyway, it is a someone ends with someone thing, but I'm not done yet. *grin* the pairings come a bit later. Yup, I twist around stuff a lot. Don't really like it when the plot gets too predictable. Hehe, you don't like Miyagi? Hehe...I happen to be a big fan of his...but Mitsui is still the best =)  
  
Arrashi: Um...really sorry to tell you this...but I already have fixed pairs in mind ( and in the story). Gomen... But I can make a story for you that's RuonaxMitsui, you know, for your birthday, or you can tell me what you want and I can write. Sorry again!  
  
Yuuki: Hehe, thanks! =) sorry it took me a long time to upload.  
  
Fawkes: thanks! =)  
  
Yuu Mizuyuki: Menandro is kawaii! And he's ours!  
  
Clarebear: thanks! =) can you tell where the names come from?  
  
Miki: Thanks! =) I also found the ballpen thing cool, I happen to like signpens myself. ( ok...I'm weird...)  
  
Nepenthe: hehe...Is that a good or a bad oro? =)  
  
Ruona: Yes, you found me. That's nice. =)  
  
Dk: Hehe...I know what you mean. " Rukawa-Ishikawa!" *Ishikawa hits koibito- no-micchy on the back of head* Wait, that's not possible, I'm Ishikawa.  
  
Well, that's about it...feel free to R&R. 


	8. Chapter 8: Aftermath

1 Author's note: Hey there! Sorry it took me such a long time to upload the next chapter. Let's say I was busy with schoolwork, k? ( well, I was...)  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own SD, just borrowing the characters.  
  
2 Chapter VIII: " Aftermath"  
  
  
  
Yohei slid into a seat beside Mizuyuki during English. " Hey!"  
  
"Huh? Oh, hi." Mizuyuki turned absently to her cousin. " I didn't know you were in this class."  
  
" I'm not." Yohei grinned. " I just wanted to ask you a question."  
  
Mizuyuki sweatdropped. " Oh. What?" she opened her English book as she reviewed her verbals. They were having a test on that today.  
  
" Whatever happened to your friends?" He gestured towards Ruona, who had just entered the classroom with a swollen lip. Not to mention a big black bruise where her left eye had been yesterday. "Looks like they've been through a whirlwind." Raiyuu came in next, with a bandage wrapped around her right arm. Mizuyuki frowned. Yohei was correct, they did look like they had come out of a whirlwind. And where was Kaede?  
  
" I don't know," she admitted honestly to her cousin. " Last time I saw them, they were all in one piece."  
  
Yohei grimaced. " They're pitiful. If I didn't know any better, they were beaten up by the gang of seniors. You should have seen what they tried to do to Sakuragi."  
  
" Beaten up? No!" Mizuyuki shook her head furiously. " I know them! They'd never get in trouble with any gangsters…well, Raiyuu and Ruona wouldn't," she added helplessly.  
  
" What about that girl Ishikawa?" Yohei asked. " She seems like a fun person to get into fights with."  
  
Mizuyuki didn't doubt that. How many times had Ishikawa gotten into trouble already since the first day of school?  
  
" Maybe…" Mizuyuki said doubtfully. Tapping a pencil to her forehead, she watched as Ruona and Raiyuu took their seats, taking out their books. She'd have to talk to them later…  
  
Mizuyuki was so deep in thought she didn't even notice that their sensei was already there.  
  
" YOU!"  
  
Mizuyuki jumped. " Me?" She then realized that the teacher was talking to Yohei.  
  
" You there! Mito! I believe this isn't your class," the sensei went on sternly.  
  
Yohei stood up from the chair, trying to look innocent. " Oh…why, yes, it isn't! Thank you, thank you very much for pointing that out to me." he started backing towards the door. " Thank you once more, sensei. I shall now go back to my respective classroom." Bowing one last time, he shot out as fast as he could, the sensei glaring daggers after him.  
  
Mizuyuki shot another look at her two other friends. What happened to them?  
  
~*~  
  
" Tanizaki-san! What happened?"  
  
Ruona looked, deadpan, at the people surrounding her. " I fell." She said simply.  
  
" Oh…" Haruko frowned. " That's all?"  
  
" Yes." Ruona then refused to open her mouth after that.  
  
" What about you, Sagara-san?" Haruko turned to Ruona's other friend, eyes filled with concern. "What happened to you?"  
  
Raiyuu's eyes darted around for a moment before she finally replied. " I…um, fell too."  
  
" Also?" Haruko frowned even more. " Where'd you fall?"  
  
Raiyuu sighed. She was never ever good at lying. " Um, from the stairs in my house. We both accidentally fell down, and, uhh…we bumped a flowerpot. It cracked open." She didn't know where that came from, but that could explain all the small bruises they had all over their body.  
  
Haruko grimaced. " Ow."  
  
Raiyuu nodded. " Exactly." She adjusted her arm, grimacing at the pain. " Excuse me for a moment…"  
  
She grabbed Mizuyuki as she exited her class. " Mizuyuki!" Raiyuu hissed in her friend's ear. " Have you seen Ishikawa?"  
  
" Is she even here?!" Mizuyuki replied hastily. " What happened anyway?"  
  
" Wait." Raiyuu grabbed hold of Ruona and dragged Mizuyuki into the courtyard. There they moved into a less populated and much quieter area as Raiyuu told Mizuyuki the whole story. Ruona offered nothing to tell or show saving her scars from the battle.  
  
Mizuyuki shook her head with worry after Raiyuu finished with her tale. " Are all of you alright?"  
  
" Barely," Raiyuu muttered. " It took me quite a while to convince oniichan that I fell down from the stairs at school."  
  
" You lied to him?!" Mizuyuki was what could be said as flabbergasted.  
  
" Well, I wasn't gonna go ahead and tell him that I was beaten up by a group of seniors!" Raiyuu retorted. " He'd cream them all for sure!" She rubbed her arm in pain.  
  
Mizuyuki frowned. " You guys could have been killed."  
  
Raiyuu laughed. " Don't worry. We're headstrong fools. Nothing's going to happen to us." She rubbed her arm again absently. " At least now I have an excuse from gym."  
  
" Oh well." Mizuyuki shrugged. " What happened to Ishikawa anyways? Why isn't she here in school?" her eyes widened at a possible thought. " You think she ended up in the hospital?"  
  
" I don't know." Raiyuu looked thoughtful. " Why don't you ask the person who's most likely to know?"  
  
~*~  
  
" I am not going to go talk to Rukawa!"  
  
" Why not?!" Raiyuu said, exasperated. " He's not a monster or anything!" All three of them turned to watch as the black-haired basketball ace shot another basket.  
  
" That's what you think." Mizuyuki suppressed a shudder.  
  
Raiyuu sighed in defeat. " Ruona?"  
  
Ruona just glared at Raiyuu.  
  
" I get your point." Backing away, she turned back to Mizuyuki. " Mizuyuki?"  
  
The normally cheerful girl crossed her arms. " Why don't you do it."  
  
" Because he's not going to answer me with a straight answer." Raiyuu said patiently. " He's known me since we were children."  
  
" If he's like that, much more to me since he doesn't even know me." Mizuyuki pointed out. " I say you should do it."  
  
Raiyuu sighed. " Fine, fine." She stood up, walking towards Rukawa. " Don't say I didn't say anything."  
  
She stopped in front of him and watched as he shot a slam dunk into the net. Landing on both feet, he ignored the company and started dribbling the ball furiously again.  
  
Raiyuu sighed. " Rukawa."  
  
He waited before shooting the ball to turn to her. His entire face was drenched in sweat. " What?"  
  
" What happened to Ishikawa?" Raiyuu asked tentatively. " I mean, do you know what happened?"  
  
Rukawa watched Raiyuu out the corner of his eyes as he shot another ball. " She's skipping school again."  
  
Raiyuu frowned. " Are you sure? Was she…hurt badly or anything?" she pressed on.  
  
Rukawa turned to Raiyuu fully. " As far as I know, no."  
  
" So you're saying that Ishikawa's just fine?" Raiyuu jumped. Mizuyuki had snuck up from behind her, and was smiling cheerfully at Ishikawa's more reserved cousin. Rukawa frowned.  
  
" I didn't say that." he turned away from them again.  
  
Mizuyuki frowned. " Idiot." She turned away.  
  
Raiyuu frowned, too. She would never get a straight answer out of him. " C'mon, let's get going," she called to Mizuyuki. " They still have basketball club."  
  
Mizuyuki trudged after Raiyuu, Ruona following the two from a distance. Rukawa watched the three from afar. Shaking his head, he shot another basket.  
  
  
  
AN: Weeeellll....hmm....  
  
Nothing much to say after this chapter. R&R! 


	9. Interlude: Kogure

1 Author's note: umm...sorry it took so long for me before I could post the next chapter!!! ;_; I'll be updating my stories, promise...thanks, guys, for reviewing! (what reviews?)  
  
Disclaimer: don't own SD, just borrowing characters.  
  
2  
  
3  
  
4 Interlude: " Kogure"  
  
4.1.1.1.1 The Next Day, 12:08 nn  
  
Kogure could feel himself shaking in his shoes as he approached the gym, lunch time.  
  
He didn't know why he was nervous. Why was he nervous? She was just a freshman; he was a senior. She was younger; he was older. She was under his command.  
  
If only.  
  
Kogure sighed and opened the door. " Hello?" he called out. Taking out his notebook and ballpen, he shut the door again.  
  
Silence greeted him. Nothing but light panting could be heard within the gym. Turning to his right, he saw a girl warming up on mats on the floor. Ruona. She did not pay any attention to Kogure as he came in.  
  
Kogure cleared his throat. " Um, excuse me?"  
  
Ruona said nothing. If she had even noticed him, Kogure could not tell.  
  
He decided to try again. " Excuse me? Tanizaki-san?"  
  
He had to wait until Ruona had finished stretching her right leg. Looking up at Kogure, she portrayed no expression on her doll-like face. " What?"  
  
Kogure gulped. " Ruona Tanizaki?"  
  
The girl just lifted her eyebrows. Kogure took this as a good sign and went on.  
  
" I, um, am here on a project," he went on, stumbling over his words. " I need to, uh, interview a successful person, and well, I was assigned to interview you--" Kogure was aware that she was staring at him as if he were a total idiot.  
  
" So, well, if you could just answer a few of my questions…" bringing out his notebook, he fumbled with his ballpen as he tried to flip to the page where his questions were written. The ballpen fell to the floor, and he scrambled on his fours to get it. When he got back up, he realized that she wasn't in front of him anymore.  
  
Kogure frowned. How could she get away with dissing a senior off so well?  
  
" Um, Tanizaki-san…" he ran after her as she started walking out of the gym, practice bag slung over her shoulder. She hadn't even taken notice of him!  
  
" Tanizaki-san, I still have some questions for you to…" he was stopped short by a deadly glare from her. Sweatdropping, Kogure watched as the girl walked back towards their building. His notebook and ballpen fell to the floor, forgotten.  
  
He had the feeling he was in for a rough time if he planned to get this project done.  
  
~*~  
  
Ruona frowned, thinking about what had just awhile ago. Who was that guy anyway? From what she could recall, he was part of the basketball team…Komura or something like that.  
  
Oh, who cares. She slung her practice bag higher over her shoulder. He's not that important anyway. 


	10. Chapter 9: Foolishness

Disclaimer: I don't own SD, just borrowing characters.  
  
Chapter IX: " Foolishness"  
  
  
  
Third day after the fight. Ishikawa still hadn't come back to school; Otherwise, everything else was back to normal. People had stopped demanding answers as to why Ruona and Raiyuu looked like…well, what they looked like now. Raiyuu's arm was still sprained, though, and Ruona still had that enormous black bruise on her left eye. Mizuyuki, as usual, was just fine.  
  
Things were dull now. A bit too dull, Raiyuu realized as she walked back to her house, deep in thought. Wonder if Mitsui and company have anything else planned out for any of us…  
  
She stopped short as she heard the sound of a basketball, dribbling on the court near her house. She sighed and checked her watch. 5:30 pm. At this time, Akira-oniisan wouldn't be home yet, and neither would her parents. She could stay and watch the people playing for a while.  
  
Shifting her course, she turned, heading for the basketball court. As she got within sight of it, though, she noticed there was only one person playing. Strange, she frowned. It sounded like they were more than one.  
  
That person moved gracefully, as if he were in a dream. Dribbling the ball, he ran and shot a basket as he flew into the air. The ball fell to the cement floor, bouncing away as he just stood there, panting, trying to regain his breath.  
  
Raiyuu came closer and picked up the ball gently, which had rolled to a stop beside her. Holding it with her free hand, she walked over to the guy playing. " Nice shot."  
  
" Thanks." The man turned to look at her. Raiyuu couldn't help but stare, though.  
  
She knew this guy. She had met him once before…  
  
Curly brown hair…brown eyes…one pierced ear…  
  
He grinned back at her as he took the ball. " Raiyuu Sagara, if I remember correctly?"  
  
" Miyagi…Ryota Miyagi!" Raiyuu was now grinning too. Yup, she knew him all right. Her 'saviour' from those-who-hated-Ryonan. That sophomore guy!  
  
Everything came back to Raiyuu in a flash. Miyagi Ryota, the one who had stopped Naoko from attempting murder with her ballpens. He was really nice to help her…  
  
" Say, what happened to you?"  
  
" Huh?" Raiyuu then noticed Miyagi was staring at her sprained arm, then going upwards, pausing at the bruises by her neck, and the long, red scratch on her cheek ( the stick one of them used had caught on her skin.) " Oh! I mean," she stammered out. What would she say now? " I, um, uhh…"  
  
Miyagi just stood there, looking at her for an answer.  
  
" I, hmm…fell?" she tried weakly.  
  
Miyagi looked at her another moment before he began to laugh. " Give me a break. That's the oldest excuse in the book!" He gazed at her with interest. " What really happened?"  
  
" Uhhh…" Raiyuu began tentatively. She didn't really want to tell him, but…  
  
" My friends and I…kinda got into trouble with this guy named Mitsui," she went on hurriedly. "Let's just say we all had a little…party. A not-so-nice party."  
  
" Oh." Miyagi shook his head. " That's tough." He frowned. " You get in that much trouble?"  
  
" No!" Raiyuu retorted. " Besides, look who's talking about much trouble." She gestured to Miyagi himself. For first time, she had noticed that his face was plastered over with…bandages. A lot.  
  
Miyagi looked sheepish. " Me? Trouble?" He shook his head furiously. " No!!!"  
  
Raiyuu rolled her eyes. " Admit it. You were beaten up."  
  
" Well, not any worse than you." Miyagi scoffed, his 'innocent' expression gone. " You must've really pissed Mitsui off."  
  
" You must have, too." Raiyuu crossed her arms. " Mitsui mustn't like you that much, judging from how you looked like."  
  
Miyagi raised his eyebrows. " I landed Mitsui in the hospital, so don't talk to me like that. See his teeth yet?"  
  
Raiyuu shook her head, a bit puzzled at the weird question. " Nope. I don't stare at people's teeth all day."  
  
Miyagi laughed. " I didn't mean it that way. In case you haven't noticed…" he leaned in close so only Raiyuu could hear—" His two front teeth are missing."  
  
Raiyuu choked back a laugh. " You did that to him?!" she said when she finally recovered from laughing.  
  
  
  
" Hai." Miyagi nodded solemnly.  
  
  
  
" And he did that to you." Raiyuu pointed to Miyagi's face.  
  
  
  
" Hai." Miyagi sweatdropped. He frowned. " Did anyone ever tell you it's rude to point?"  
  
  
  
" Oh. Sorry."  
  
  
  
Raiyuu withdrew her hand. She hadn't said another word before she heard a sound from behind her. A sound which sounded just like ahem.  
  
Miyagi and Raiyuu spun around to see Sendoh standing behind them, one eyebrow raised. He was looking pointedly at…them.  
  
It was only then Raiyuu had noticed that Miyagi had not left her side since he had leant in close  
  
to tell her about Mitsui's teeth. She cringed. She could imagine what was going through her brother's mind…  
  
Sendoh was frowning. Moving closer to the two, he glared at each of them.  
  
Raiyuu and Miyagi shrank back in fear.  
  
Finally…  
  
Sendoh raised a hand. " Move." He still had that look on his face.  
  
Instinctively Ryota and Raiyuu slid one step away from each other. Miyagi swallowed.  
  
  
  
" Go." Sendoh pointed sternly towards the open road.  
  
  
  
Miyagi backed away slowly, clutching the basketball. " See you around," he murmured to Raiyuu. Before he turned to run, however, he muttered to Raiyuu, " Your boyfriend sure is overprotective." He then took off .  
  
Raiyuu stared after him, horrified. " He's not my boyfriend!!" she yelled after him. Which was not a very good thing to say.  
  
She turned back to her brother. " Uh…hi?" she tried weakly. " Um…nice day, isn't it?"  
  
Sendoh just frowned back at her.  
  
" Looks like, from the way you were hanging around him," he said, watching Raiyuu's face turn a bright red. Somehow, Raiyuu knew oniichan would misunderstand it…deliberately.  
  
" Oniichan, I don't like him--"  
  
" That's what they all say." Sendoh crossed his arms. " A good thing I stopped by here before going home. Who would have known what you two might have been doing by then."  
  
" ONIICHAN!!!" Now Raiyuu's face was crimson. " IT'S NOT LIKE THAT!"  
  
Sendoh was still ignoring her as they started walking home. " I know that guy. He's part of the Shohoku basketball team, isn't he?" he added thoughtfully. " And he's a sophomore…I didn't know my little sister preferred older men…"  
  
" Baka!" Raiyuu tried to hit her brother on the head with his school bag. He blocked the blow, though. Sendoh was taking all the pleasure in teasing his little sister.  
  
" I do not LIKE older men!!" Then Raiyuu stopped walking. " Basketball team?" A wonder, since she had never seen him in practices…she didn't know he was a member…  
  
She ran on after Sendoh. " Hey, oniichan, he's part of the basketball team?" No wonder he was so good at basketball…  
  
Sendoh smirked at her. " Oh, little Raiyuu didn't know her boyfriend was on the basketball team?"  
  
" ONIICHAN!!!!" Raiyuu was now fuming.  
  
" Hey, I was just joking! Keep your head on—hey, hey! Don't mess with the hair! Stop it! Raiyuu, NOW! don't!"  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
Mizuyuki skidded to a stop, panting hard. Raiyuu had borrowed her Mathematics notes for their class lecture. Now she was the one who needed the notes. And just her luck—Raiyuu was nowhere in sight.  
  
" Oh no," she murmured to herself, picking up her pace again. If she couldn't find Raiyuu, there was always Ruona…she was already the top student in all the classes, in such a short matter of time. Mizuyuki couldn't understand how that was possible.  
  
The bell rang, jolting her out of her thoughts. Mizuyuki cursed silently. She would have to enter class without her notes. Sighing to herself, she turned back around the corridor, heading towards their classroom. I'm going to strangle Raiyuu the next time I see her! Sliding the door open, she resolutely entered the classroom—  
  
And promptly bumped into someone. Or rather, the person had bumped into her. Mizuyuki fell to the floor, wincing. " Ow!" Looking up, she noticed that the person who had bumped her was no other than…  
  
Kaede Rukawa glanced at her out the corner of his eyes. Mizuyuki frowned at seeing him. She didn't know why, but she just absolutely…didn't…like…HIM. For one thing, he thought he was well above everyone else. That disgusted her.  
  
Mizuyuki groaned and rubbed her elbow. " Ouch!" It had hit the floor hard, and hurt a lot. She was already infuriated at the pain, but her mood grew even worse when Rukawa just stepped over her, not even bothering to help her up. It was as if she weren't even there.  
  
That flared up Mizuyuki's temper. By a lot.  
  
Reaching down with her right hand, she grabbed her shoe, and threw it at Rukawa's head. " Hey you!"  
  
The shoe made a loud thonk sound as it bounced off the back of his head. Silence filled the corridors as people realized what Mizuyuki had done.  
  
Rukawa turned around stiffly. " What?"  
  
" You didn't help me up." Mizuyuki crossed her arms. " That was rude. You didn't even apologize."  
  
Rukawa shrugged. " Sorry." He didn't sound like he meant that, though. He turned around again.  
  
Another shoe hit the back of his head. Rukawa turned back to Mizuyuki, frowning.  
  
" What now?"  
  
" You still didn't help me up." Mizuyuki pointed out. She had to teach this Rukawa a lesson.  
  
Rukawa shrugged again. " You have your own feet. Do it yourself." He turned back around and started walking down the corridor.  
  
Fury radiated from within Mizuyuki. " That's RUDE!!"  
  
" So is throwing your shoes at people." Rukawa retorted. Bending down, he took hold of one of Mizuyuki's shoes. He also picked up the one a few meters away.  
  
Mizuyuki was puzzled at his behavior. She cocked her head. " What are you doing now?"  
  
Rukawa looked back at the girl, his face still calm. " Getting your shoes."  
  
That made Mizuyuki frown. " Why?"  
  
Rukawa just looked at her pointedly, then turned and ran, still holding her shoes in one hand. " So you won't have anything to throw at me anymore."  
  
Mizuyuki looked down at her feet. Her shoeless feet.  
  
So you won't have anything to throw at me anymore…then it clicked.  
  
" Hey!" she screamed. Scrambling up, she ran after the retreating Rukawa. " GIVE ME BACK MY SHOES!!"  
  
  
  
~*~  
  
Ruona cocked her head as Kaede Rukawa ran by her, carrying school shoes. A second later, she saw Mizuyuki running after him in sock-clad feet. Ruona shook her head. " Baka."  
  
She had barely taken a step forward before someone popped out in front of her.  
  
" Tanizaki-san?"  
  
Ruona would have screamed if she showed feelings. Unfortunately, she didn't. Instead, she looked calmly at the brown-haired senior in front of her, the one with glasses. The day before yesterday, he was holding a notebook. Today he was holding a tape recorder.  
  
" Tanizaki-san, I have a few questions for you to answer--"  
  
Rukawa sped by him at full speed, followed by a screaming Mizuyuki. Ruona watched as Mizuyuki collided into the poor senior, who in turn, got himself tangled up in the cord of his microphone. Mizuyuki barely muttered an apology to him before she set after Rukawa again. " COME BACK HERE!!"  
  
Ruona sighed, shaking her head once more. Really.  
  
She turned around and headed towards her classroom again. With luck, she wasn't late yet.  
  
  
  
Author's Note: hai...I know...OOC Rukawa O_o heh, I was too lazy to change that part. Besides, I found it stupidly amusing : so? R&R please! 


	11. Chapter 10: Retaliation

Chapter X: " Retaliation"  
  
" Sho-ho-ku! Sho-ho-ku!"  
  
The locker room was full of cheers and applause as Takenori Akagi strode in. He smiled inwardly. They're all full of team spirit, he realized. Shohoku may actually have a chance of winning the finals.  
  
He greeted Kogure, who was settled on a bench, tying his shoelaces. Kogure smiled. " Akagi," he began, " We may actually follow through with our dream this year."  
  
" Aa," Akagi grunted, sitting down beside Kogure. " This team looks promising." He scanned the room. Yasuda was cowering in fear as Sakuragi taunted him, Miyagi looking on and laughing. Mitsui was seated with the others, still dressing up, or tying their shoelaces. Rukawa wasn't here yet, though. Akagi nodded again absently. " This will be a good year."  
  
" We have Miyagi, one of the fastest point guards in this prefecture," observed Kogure. " And we also have Mi-chan." He glanced almost fondly at the blue-eyed, former MVP who sat at the opposite side of the bench. "With luck, his great skill in three-point shot has not diminished." After two whole years of gangfights, Mitsui had finally returned to basketball. He had also promised Anzai-sensei he wouldn't fight anymore.ever. Akagi only hoped that Mitsui would follow through with that.  
  
" This is our last chance, Akagi," Kogure said, standing up. " Our last chance."  
  
Last chance.Akagi stood up along with Kogure. He's right.we're seniors now. Our last chance.our last shining moment.  
  
Dressing up quickly, he walked over to Kogure, who was waiting for him by the door. Something caught Akagi's eye, though.  
  
He stopped walking, and turned his head to the left. There was something moving.in Rukawa's locker.  
  
Akagi frowned, and in one sweep, had walked over to the locker, and flung it open. Inside sat a.girl. Chewing on one of Rukawa's shoes. She turned, and once she saw Akagi looming over her, stopped gnawing on the shoe. Akagi recognized her as one of Haruko's friends.  
  
His brow furrowed. " What are you doing in here?"  
  
" None of your business." The girl snapped back. She was still clutching the shoe.  
  
Akagi frowned even more. " Get out." He grabbed her by the scruff of her uniform and dragged her out, much to the surprise of Kogure and the other members of the basketball team. No one could blame them, actually; it wasn't everyday one found a girl hiding in his locker.  
  
" Fangirls don't belong in locker rooms," Akagi admonished her as he threw her out of the room. "Ask Rukawa for a shoe. I'm sure he'd be happy to give you one."  
  
The last thing Akagi heard before he shut the door was " I'm not a fangirl!!" He ignored that, though, and turned back to face Kogure, who was looking dazed.  
  
" Crazy girls," Akagi muttered to his teammate. " They'd do anything for a souvenir."  
  
" I.think I know that girl," Kogure said, frowning. " She's a freshman, isn't she?"  
  
" One of Haruko's friends," Akagi shook his head. " I have to talk to her someday about her choice of company."  
  
"." Kogure just nodded solemnly.  
  
Rukawa burst into the room, school bag slung over one shoulder. Obviously he had decided to go in late today.  
  
Akagi looked pointedly at Rukawa. " There was a girl in your locker."  
  
Rukawa nodded as if having girls in lockers was an everyday occurrence. Opening his locker, he began to take out his practice clothes to change.  
  
Akagi turned to the other basketball club members. " Miyagi, bring the balls to the court," he thundered. " Yasuda, get--"  
  
His last order was interrupted by a fit of laughter. From Sakuragi. Akagi frowned, and turned to the red-headed player. " Idiot!"  
  
Sakuragi was doubled over in laughter. " L-look at R-Rukawa." he pointed a finger at the incriminating person, and resumed his laughing once more.  
  
All eyes shifted to Rukawa, and no more than a few seconds passed before everyone else except Akagi and Kogure were doubled over in laughter. Rukawa was wearing his usual blue shirt to practice. However, his usual blue shirt now had holes on it, as if it had been gnawed by a rat. Or.by a girl.  
  
Akagi cleared his throat. No one took notice, except for Rukawa, who was just deadpan. As usual.  
  
Akagi frowned. " EVERYONE OUT! NOW!"  
  
The room was cleared in less than two seconds, Kogure ushering everyone out. The only people left were Sakuragi, Miyagi, Rukawa and Akagi. Akagi eyed Rukawa. " You have an extra shirt?"  
  
Rukawa shook his head. " No."  
  
" Then I'm afraid you'll have to wear that to practice." Akagi waved his hand dismissively. " Now, out."  
  
Akagi spun on his heel and turned to leave. He could hear Sakuragi and Miyagi snickering behind his back, though. Most probably at Rukawa. Akagi sighed inwardly.  
  
Turning around, he hit both on the head. Hard. " Idiots."  
  
Now he could hear Rukawa snickering behind their backs. Akagi shook his head.  
  
This team has a long way to go.  
  
~*~  
  
Raiyuu, Mizuyuki and Ruona fell silent as they exited the school grounds. There was nothing much to talk about, now; Mizuyuki still hadn't told them what she had done to Rukawa's shirt. She snickered at the thought of it. Wonder how he liked it.  
  
Raiyuu, in the meantime, was thinking about Ryota Miyagi. Haven't seen him around yet.she shifted her bag to her other shoulder. He did say he was a sophomore, right? What's his section anyways?  
  
Ruona was thinking about her homework. There's a test in English the next week. I have to start studying in order to gain a perfect score. She sighed as she calculated possible options in her mind. Which means either few hours off training or off sleep.  
  
Mizuyuki broke the silence. " So," she began, then stopped. Wonder if they're laughing at Rukawa's shirt right now.  
  
Raiyuu cleared her throat. " So.?" Oniichan thinks I have a crush on Miyagi. Raiyuu's face reddened at the thought. What in the hell gave him that idea?!  
  
Ruona cocked her head. Why is Raiyuu turning red?  
  
Mizuyuki made another attempt at conversation. " School was okay." Especially when Rukawa's chair tipped over during the foreign affairs lecture. Mizuyuki smiled wickedly. With help from yours truly. He deserves that for sleeping all the time.  
  
"Yup," Raiyuu nodded. " Cool." I like Miyagi's ear stud. It kills. Wonder where he bought it.?  
  
Why is Mizuyuki smiling like that.? Ruona wondered. Weird.  
  
Mizuyuki had now run out of words to say. " Um," she began. Rukawa sucks. Does he ever comb his hair?  
  
" Um." Raiyuu was practically parroting Mizuyuki. Miyagi's short for a basketball player, but Oniichan says he's good. Wonder if he lives up to his reputation.Raiyuu stopped short. Wait a minute. Why am I thinking about him?!  
  
Mizuyuki had also stopped walking. My hair looks a lot better than Rukawa's, she scoffed to herself.  
  
Raiyuu frowned thoughtfully, staring off into space. When I stand next to Miyagi-sempai, he's only about an inch or so taller than me. she smiled slowly. Cool!  
  
" What's that supposed to mean?" Mizuyuki asked Raiyuu out of the blue, startling Ruona.  
  
" Huh? What?" Raiyuu looked surprised.  
  
Mizuyuki shook her head quickly. " Never mind."  
  
Shrugging, the two resumed their thinking. Ruona facefaulted, staring at both of them, aghast. What the.?  
  
Rukawa's annoying. Sometimes I want to smack him with a frying pan. Mizuyuki's brow creased ever so slightly. Why am I thinking about frying pans?  
  
I'm hungry. Raiyuu wistfully thought. A frying pan would be useful just about now.  
  
Ruona's gaze shifted from Mizuyuki, then to Raiyuu. I don't get them, she concluded.  
  
Hanamichi Sakuragi looks familiar. Mizuyuki frowned thoughtfully. He looks like someone in this TV program. That Mitsui guy reminds me of someone. Raiyuu shook her head. He looked like this guy.what was his name again? She squinted thoughtfully. Karasu? Raiyuu smiled after a while. Nah, must have been my imagination.  
  
Ruona didn't like her friends' unusual silence. She was usually the silent one, but this was uncanny. Mizuyuki and Raiyuu were never quiet. Ruona backed away a few steps. What did they have for lunch?  
  
Raiyuu frowned. Say, what's up with Ruona? I'd swear she's backing away from us.  
  
Mizuyuki raised her eyebrows. Ruona looks like she's just seen a bike. Her face brightened up. Hey, that rhymes! Mizuyuki frowned once more, though. But that doesn't make sense.  
  
Ruona would cower in fear if she showed feelings, but she didn't. Instead, she stood her ground. Why are they looking at me like that?  
  
Just as she was about to question her friends' sanity, a shadow loomed over them.  
  
" Hello, friends."  
  
All three turned in unison to see Ishikawa leaning over a wall, smiling gleefully at them. She looked as if she were enjoying the little scene.  
  
~*~  
  
" Ishikawa!"  
  
" Kaede!"  
  
Raiyuu and Mizuyuki turned to Ishikawa, surprised. Ruona had no reaction whatsoever.  
  
Ishikawa just grinned at them once more, then jumped off from the opposite side of the wall. "Anyone miss me?"  
  
Raiyuu scoffed. " Not really." A wicked gleam in her eye, she blocked the kick Ishikawa delivered to her.  
  
" Where have you been anyway?" Mizuyuki asked Ishikawa. " You missed something like." she counted on her fingers. " .three days of school."  
  
" Skipping class." Ruona murmured under her breath. " Just like junior high."  
  
Ishikawa looked at Ruona. " Hey, hey!" she said defensively. " I didn't skip class! Don't think I've gone AWOL on you all or anything." She crossed her arms. " I'm not like that." she thought for a while. " Anymore."  
  
Raiyuu raised an eyebrow at Ishikawa. " Then, pray tell, do say why you were absent."  
  
" I had an excuse," Ishikawa said smoothly. " It's called fractured wrist." Lifting her hand, Ishikawa showed off a bandaged wrist.  
  
" That's why you were absent?" Mizuyuki asked.  
  
Ishikawa was silent for a moment. Then.  
  
" Actually, no."  
  
Raiyuu and Mizuyuki facefaulted. Ruona sweatdropped.  
  
Ishikawa grinned. " Putting a cast on the wrist took one day. I just didn't feel like going to school all the other days."  
  
" How'd you get past your parents?" Mizuyuki questioned.  
  
" I said I didn't feel well. They believed me." Ishikawa shrugged it off nonchalantly. Humming a song to herself, she leant against the wall.  
  
" Then you lied." Raiyuu pointed out.  
  
" No." Ishikawa stared at the ground. " I really didn't feel well. Do you know how much it hurts when your wrist swells, especially under a cast?" she clucked. " Lemme tell you, it really hurts. Especially if you don't have painkiller around."  
  
" Oh." Raiyuu raised an eyebrow. " Well, then."  
  
" And," Ishikawa added sharply. " I had to do some thinking. About that." --She straightened up and faced her three friends-".Mitsui."  
  
Raiyuu, Mizuyuki and Ruona nodded. They had all heard what had happened between Mitsui and Ishikawa. And they all knew Ishikawa wasn't exactly that happy about him.  
  
" At first," Ishikawa continued. " I had these crazed thoughts. I thought of many ways I could get back at him. There was, well, throw rotten eggs at his house. But I thought, 'that's so juvenile!' so I thought more. And as day by day passed by, my thoughts grew worse. Steaming him upside down under boiling water. Roasting him to death. Short-sheeting his bed. Skinning him alive." Ishikawa's lips curved into a sardonic grin. " These were all very good ideas. Very good ideas."  
  
Raiyuu and Mizuyuki exchanged a look, then edged closer together, farther from Ishikawa.  
  
" What's up with her?" Raiyuu.  
  
" She's scaring me." Mizuyuki.  
  
" Don't leave me out!"  
  
Raiyuu and Mizuyuki jumped. " Ruona!" Mizuyuki scolded. " Don't scare us like that!"  
  
" But she's freaking me out!" Ruona hissed.  
  
Raiyuu smirked. " Even the ice queen is affected by the psycho."  
  
Ruona glared at Raiyuu. " Shuttup."  
  
" You GUYS!" Ishikawa burst into their little circle. " Listen to me!" she exclaimed dramatically.  
  
Mizuyuki, Raiyuu and Ruona turned their heads stiffly towards her. " Aa."  
  
Raiyuu brushed Ishikawa's hand off her shoulder. " Don't touch me."  
  
Ishikawa gave Raiyuu a puzzled look, but went on with what she was saying. " Anyway, as I was saying.I liked all these ideas. I thought, no, I knew they would work." Ishikawa had a devious grin on her face. " But, I realized something." her grin faded away.  
  
" That you needed to see a psychologist?" Raiyuu snickered. " Because we all realized that a long time ago."  
  
Ishikawa covered Raiyuu's mouth shut. " Y'know, Sagara, you have this thing for ruining moments." She said in her normal tone of voice. Raiyuu was unavailable for a comment.  
  
" Anyway," Ishikawa continued, her macabre tone on again, " I realized that..." she paused dramatically. " Those were all really stupid ideas."  
  
Mizuyuki heaved a sigh of relief. " So you mean you weren't serious about everything else you said before?"  
  
" Nope." Ishikawa shrugged. " I mean, how am I going to carry them out anyway? They're so.bookish," she finished.  
  
" Mmph." Raiyuu agreed with Ishikawa. Ishikawa took her hand away, leaving Raiyuu free to talk once more. " There. Any comments?"  
  
" No comment," Raiyuu muttered. " But geez, go easy on the hand pressure." She was rubbing her cheekbone.  
  
" Wait. So, you weren't serious awhile ago?" Mizuyuki asked again. As Ishikawa shook her head no, Mizuyuki grinned. " Good! Because well, you looked awfully serious then.for a moment, I thought you were actually going to try and.I don't know, skin him alive or something!"  
  
Ishikawa grimaced. " No, 'course not! That's a really stupid idea. No way. Not me." She began to turn away, walking in the opposite direction. Raiyuu and Mizuyuki, after looking on after their friend, heaved a sigh of relief and started walking away. Ruona followed suit.  
  
Then Ishikawa spoke. Softly, but all three people caught what she said.  
  
" I'm gonna kill him. But not in that way."  
  
Raiyuu, Mizuyuki, and Ruona stopped dead in their tracks.  
  
" WHAAAAAT?!?"  
  
In less than one second, they were all over Ishikawa. Mizuyuki and Ruona had Ishikawa pinned to the ground while Raiyuu got out a hankerchief and started tying Ishikawa's hands together.  
  
Ishikawa was startled. " What? Let me go!!"  
  
" Yada." Mizuyuki shook her head solemnly.  
  
Ishikawa frowned. " Why the hell are you doing this?!"  
  
" Because you're dangerous, my friend," Raiyuu informed Ishikawa. Crouching down, she wagged a finger at Ishikawa. " Killing people is a crime around these parts."  
  
Ishikawa grimaced once more. " I was joking, guys. Can't you take a joke?!"  
  
Mizuyuki raised her eyebrows. " You were?"  
  
Ishikawa nodded slowly.  
  
" Let her go." Ruona let go off Ishikawa's other arm while Raiyuu untied her hands. As soon as she was free though, Ishikawa stood up and ran away at full speed. " Not!!"  
  
A chase soon followed, and it wasn't long before Raiyuu had caught up with Ishikawa. However, as she was about to hold her down again, Ishikawa looked Raiyuu square in the eye. " Stop."  
  
" What?' This time Raiyuu was ready with a piece of rope. She looked behind her to see Mizuyuki and Ruona running up to her already.  
  
" Have you seen Mitsui?" Ishikawa questioned casually.  
  
Raiyuu frowned. " And why am I supposed to tell you?"  
  
" Cause you're my friend.?" Ishikawa tried. No such luck. She turned to Mizuyuki. " Yuu, where's Mitsui?"  
  
Mizuyuki frowned. " I'm not sure. I think he's at the school gym?" completely caught off guard.  
  
Raiyuu slapped her forehead. " Idiot!"  
  
Ruona sweatdropped.  
  
" Ha!" Ishikawa grinned triumphantly. " MITSUI, YOUR OWN DEATH AWAITS!!"  
  
As she set off to run towards the school, Ruona spoke.surprisingly.  
  
" Why are you so bent on killing him anyway?"  
  
Ishikawa stopped, and turned to one of her oldest friends. " That's cause I need revenge." Now she was all serious. " He is the one who has injured me the most physically. And," now Ishikawa's eyes contained steel, " He has also injured my dignity. Badly." Not anymore as hysterical as before but all serious this time, Ishikawa flopped down on the road, regardless of anything. " I hate him."  
  
Ruona just blinked. Raiyuu and Mizuyuki fell silent.  
  
" But," Mizuyuki asked, " Isn't there another way you can, get back at him?" Ishikawa's head swiveled towards her. " Without any bloodshed." Mizuyuki added hastily.  
  
" Well," Ishikawa said thoughtfully. " There's always poison."  
  
" What Mizuyuki means," Raiyuu cut in hastily, " Is not that. I think she means something which doesn't end up with Mitsui, err, dead. Or seriously injured or anything," she added.  
  
Ishikawa was silent for a moment. Then she spoke once more. " Well, yeah, I guess there is." she smiled weakly at all three of her friends. " Thanks for telling me that. I didn't think of it that way."  
  
" Anytime." Raiyuu smiled back at her. Ishikawa was.different already, somehow.  
  
HONK!!!  
  
" Hey, get outta the way!"  
  
" Crazy teens!! What do you think you're doing?!" Another horn sounded. Another motorist cursed at them.  
  
Mizuyuki sweatdropped. " Before we continue this conversation," she said hastily, " Why don't we get out the middle of the road?"  
  
" Good idea." Ishikawa said, red-faced. Standing up, she walked with them to the other side of the road. The traffic jam cleared up, and soon everything was moving smoothly again.  
  
" Hey, gotta get going." Ishikawa said brightly. " Getting dark."  
  
Raiyuu eyed Ishikawa suspiciously. " Ruona, bring Ishikawa home."  
  
" Why?!" Ishikawa was exasperated.  
  
Mizuyuki shoved Ruona towards Ishikawa. " Grateful friend or not, we still think you're a lunatic," she said, a grin forming on her face. " We don't trust you alone."  
  
" Oh, so now I get Ruona to guard me?" Ishikawa grumbled. " Thanks a lot."  
  
" Watch it," Ruona warned Ishikawa as they trudged away.  
  
" Sorry."  
  
Raiyuu shook her head as she watched the two walk away. Turning to Mizuyuki, she shrugged. "Let's get going."  
  
~*~  
  
Mizuyuki smiled, feeling refreshed. The other day had been tiring, with us running after Ishikawa and all, she realized. Honestly. Ishikawa acts like a psycho sometimes.  
  
Stepping into school., she pushed the doors open.and frowned.  
  
Waiting for her in the very front hall was no other than Kaede Rukawa. He was also scowling.  
  
" You chewed up my jersey." He held up a blue shirt.or what was once a blue shirt. Now it had holes in it.  
  
Mizuyuki glared at him. " You stole my shoes."  
  
" At least I didn't chew them up." Rukawa retorted. " Unlike the rat who was in my locker yesterday."  
  
Mizuyuki crossed her arms. " You gave me a zero in my essay."  
  
" Because you pushed my seat over during class."  
  
" You put a frog in my desk."  
  
" That was because someone tried to put a fly in my mouth while I was asleep." Rukawa crossed his arms too.  
  
The two locked gazes, and at that moment, Mizuyuki knew she didn't hate a person more that she could ever hate Kaede Rukawa.  
  
Sparks flew as they glared, seething at each other. People ran for cover.  
  
Mizuyuki spoke first.  
  
" This is war."  
  
Rukawa clenched his jaw, jutting his chin out stubbornly.  
  
" Fine by me."  
  
The two glared at each other one more time, than stalked off in opposite directions.  
  
~*~  
  
Thank god school is over. Raiyuu sighed in relief. This day's been.intense. Aside from keeping her eye on Ishikawa the whole time, the news that Mizuyuki and Rukawa had declared war on each other wasn't really helping her dark mood.  
  
But Raiyuu felt light and happy, now. It's the weekend.no school for two days! There couldn't be anything more she could ask for. She desperately needed a break from all this pressure and tension high school had.  
  
I'm going to claim residence in front of the TV permanently.Raiyuu was so engrossed in her own thoughts that she did not notice anyone falling into step beside her.  
  
The figure smiled. " Raiyuu Sagara?"  
  
" Huh?" Raiyuu turned to see no one other than Miyagi Ryota. " Oh! Miyagi- sempai!" Raiyuu was surprised. " What.what are you doing here?"  
  
Miyagi raised his eyebrows. " Hey, this is my school too, you know." He stuck his hands in his pockets.  
  
Raiyuu turned pink with embarrassment. " I didn't mean it that way." Why does he fluster me so easily? She cleared her throat. " I mean, hi!"  
  
" Hello to you too." Miyagi turned to face Raiyuu, walking backwards. " Long time no see, huh?"  
  
" Yeah," Raiyuu nodded. " Sorry for my brother's behavior," she apologized. " He can be a bit.overwhelming at times."  
  
But Miyagi had only heard Raiyuu's first statement. " Sendoh Akira is your brother?!" Miyagi's eyes nearly popped out.  
  
Raiyuu cocked her head. " Yup. Why?" there was slight amusement in her tone.  
  
Miyagi shook his head. " It's just that-never mind. But," he added, " He's the Ryonan ace! The star of Ryonan High! And." his voice trailed away. " He's also your brother.how'd you end up in this school?!"  
  
Raiyuu shook her head. " It's like this. Akira-san is my half brother," she explained. " My father got married to his mother. We've only been siblings for half a year." She clutched her books closer to her chest. " I was really supposed to move to Shohoku. When we met, I was already enrolled in Shohoku. He was trying to convince my dad to move me to Ryonan, but.no such luck." Raiyuu's smile was tight. " And am I glad I ended up here."  
  
" Why?" Miyagi questioned. " You don't like Ryonan?"  
  
" It's not like that." Raiyuu tried to explain. " I just, well, like the people here."  
  
" Oh?" Miyagi raised an eyebrow. " Oh, yeah, you're a freshman. Almost forgot." He started walking alongside Raiyuu again. " You making lots of new friends?"  
  
" It's..okay," Raiyuu said. " People here are nice to me. Except for those- who-hate-Ryonan."  
  
Miyagi made a face. " Don't mind them," he told Raiyuu. " They're just really like that. But otherwise," he added, " You're fitting in well?"  
  
Raiyuu nodded. " Pretty much."  
  
" Cool." Miyagi said slowly.  
  
They had already reached the school entrance. Both stopped walking and faced each other, suddenly not knowing what to say.  
  
" So," Raiyuu began, " I'm guessing you have basketball practice.?" If Miyagi wanted to leave, this would be his cue.  
  
Miyagi checked his watch. " I have around twenty minutes to kill," he said casually.  
  
" Oh." Raiyuu clutched her books even tighter. He didn't leave! " So, umm." she trailed off, not knowing what to say. " Umm."  
  
" It's hot out here," Miyagi pointed out. " Why don't we go over to the ice cream parlor across the street for a while? If you want to talk some more, that is," he added hastily.  
  
Raiyuu's face brightened up. " Sure! I'd love to talk some more.I mean, I'd like to." She shifted her weight from one foot to the other. He wants to talk some more!! With me!!  
  
" Cool." Miyagi nodded over to the ice cream parlor. The two started walking across the street.  
  
" So," Miyagi started again as they entered and settled into a booth, " How do you find High school so far?"  
  
" It's fine," Raiyuu answered him. " A bit harder than Junior high, though." she trailed off as a waitress approached them. " You wanna order?" she asked the older student.  
  
Miyagi shook his head. " Nah. You?" he sat back in his seat.  
  
Raiyuu nodded. " I'm taking a shake."  
  
As soon as the order was taken, they resumed their talking once more. Raiyuu, however, couldn't stop staring at Miyagi's...ear. I like his earring.  
  
Miyagi blinked. " Raiyuu-san," he began again.  
  
Raiyuu interrupted him. " Call me Raiyuu," she said, shaking her head. " I don't really like it when people address me like that."  
  
" Okay," Miyagi shrugged. " Raiyuu," he began once more, " Even though you're a freshman, I think you're.cool."  
  
Raiyuu choked back a laugh. " You're saying that you usually think freshmen are dorks?"  
  
The sophomore looked alarmed. " I didn't mean it that way--!!"  
  
" Joke!" Raiyuu leaned over the table and patted Miyagi on the shoulder. " Chill."  
  
Miyagi eyed Raiyuu before he went on. Raiyuu frowned. I feel weird.  
  
" You're a cool kid." Miyagi smiled at her. " I think I'm going to like being friends with you." He leaned forward in his seat. " From now on, if you have anything you'd want help with, go to me. I'll help you out."  
  
" Okay." Raiyuu couldn't maintain eye contact with Miyagi, for some reason. " Miyagi-sempai--"  
  
" Call me Miyagi." Another smile played itself upon Miyagi's chiseled features. " I don't really like it when people address me like that."  
  
Now Raiyuu was burning red. From embarrassment or.something else, she couldn't tell. " Miyagi, thanks for offering to help me, but--"  
  
" Here's your vanilla shake!" The waitress settled a tall glass in front of Raiyuu. " Please enjoy."  
  
Raiyuu barely mumbled a thank you before sitting back and drinking up her shake. She had been extremely thirsty already for the past five minutes.  
  
Looking up, she turned back to Miyagi. " Miyagi--"  
  
Miyagi stood up all of a sudden. " Have to go," he said hastily. " Nearly forgot about basketball practice!" he turned back to Raiyuu. " Sorry, Raiyuu. Maybe some other time!" Without waiting for a reply, he raced out the door, and back towards the school.  
  
Raiyuu stared after him, surprised and somewhat.disappointed. Why'd he go?  
  
Shrugging, she took another sip of her vanilla milkshake. Oh well.  
  
~*~  
  
Ruona tried to ignore the weird-looking guy following her. She sighed. The other day, he had a tape recorder. Today he had a notebook. Again.  
  
" Tanizaki-san."  
  
Leave me alone. Ruona resisted the urge to turn and punch this guy. Can't he take a hint?  
  
" Tanizaki-san, please, listen to me."  
  
Ruona shook her head stubbornly. If that guy had seen that, she couldn't tell.  
  
" TANIZAKI-SAN!!"  
  
Ruona couldn't take it anymore. She started running.  
  
She could still hear the steady beat of footsteps behind her, though. Ruona frowned. He was not going to give up.  
  
" Tanizaki-san!!! Wait!!!"  
  
Ruona picked up her speed-and promptly ran into two policemen. The bigger one looked down at her. " What have we here.?"  
  
The policeman caught sight of the young man running after her. Misinterpreting it as something else, they ran over to him. " Why are you harassing this young lady?!"  
  
" No-I-I-wasn't trying to--"  
  
Ruona shook her head again, watching the scene. Turning around, she walked away stoically.  
  
~*~  
  
Mitsui Hisashi shot another ball into the air. The wind whistled as the ball flew, then whistled once more as it landed cleanly in the net. Mitsui smiled with satisfaction. His three-point shot skills hadn't diminished one bit.  
  
Whistling to himself, he picked up the ball. That was enough for now.  
  
As he turned to leave, he heard the door creak open.  
  
Mitsui looked into the dark, surprised. It was already 7:30 in the night. He had stayed for training after basketball practice-he couldn't imagine who'd go to the gym at seven in the night. " Who's there?" he asked hesitantly.  
  
A girl stepped out of the shadows. Mitsui squinted, as he couldn't see her well, her features clouded by the dark.  
  
Then she spoke.  
  
" I've been waiting for this day, Mitsui." A humorless smile lit up on her face.  
  
Mitsui's eyes widened slightly.  
  
The basketball fell to the ground, forgotten. It bounced twice before resting at his feet.  
  
" I've been waiting for you." 


	12. Chapter 11: Re-match

Chapter XI: " Re-match"  
  
" I've been waiting for you." the girl was still smiling, though expressionlessly.  
  
Mitsui just blinked once.  
  
" Do I. know you?"  
  
The girl fell to the ground. " WHAAAT?!"  
  
She recovered soon, though. Brushing herself off as she stood up, she gave him a dirty look. " Did they hit you that hard on the head?! God." She crossed her arms. " :Let's try that again. I've been wait-ing for you."  
  
Then Mitsui remembered. " Oh yeah!" he slapped his hand to his forehead. Why didn't her remember earlier?  
  
" You're that little girl! The one who was trying to act like a punk!" He smirked. Mitsui remembered her now, very clearly. Ishikawa.  
  
Ishikawa frowned. " Don't call me that!"  
  
In a few seconds, she had crossed the whole room and was in front of him, delivering a punch to his face. Mitsui's eyes widened. She's fast.he blocked her attack, though.  
  
Mitsui raised his eyebrows coolly. " What do you want, then? Isn't it way past your bedtime?" He smirked once more as he blocked another punch from her.  
  
" No." Ishikawa's voice was cold as steel. " Stop referring to me as a child." She tried to execute another punch. This time Mitsui just avoided it, sidestepping it.  
  
" So what do you want from me?" he asked easily. Mitsui would grin if the scowl on the girl's face wasn't so big.  
  
Ishikawa stopped trying to attack him and just looked at him level- headedly. " I want a re-match."  
  
" Huh?" Mitsui's brow furrowed. " Re-match?" Re-match for what? He decided it wasn't worth wondering over, anyway. " No."  
  
She scowled, and before Mitsui knew anything, had tried to punch him again. Mitsui avoided her attack just in time.  
  
" I insist." Ishikawa's eyes shone with something that looked like.Mitsui peered closer.determination? " I really think we should fight once more."  
  
Now Mitsui remembered what had happened clearly. He remembered that fateful day last week.it was apparent that he had broken her wrist, judging from the bandage.cast on her arm. Maybe that was why she wanted to fight again. Mitsui shook his head inwardly. It wasn't even a fight! He scoffed. Girls. He sidestepped another punch. But.he had promised Anzai-sensei he wouldn't fight again. Which meant that.  
  
Mitsui shook his head at Ishikawa. " No can do, kid," he drawled out. " I don't have the time."  
  
Now that got the girl really pissed off. Mitsui had to block about two punches and duck one kick to his head. He frowned. What's up with her?  
  
She spoke again, slowly and calmly. " Don't act like I'm not important enough to be listened to, Mitsui-sempai," she started. " I know I'm a lot less stronger than you, but it doesn't mean you can treat me like a nobody."  
  
Mitsui said nothing for a moment, than sighed. Damn. Running a hand through his spiky, blue-tipped hair, he bent down until they were at eye level with each other. " Look, kid," he started, " I'll level with you."  
  
He locked gazes with her. " I don't fight a-ny-more." He emphasized each of the syllables, enunciating each of them clearly as possible. " I've retired from fighting. I do basketball now," he explained as patiently as he could to the poor kid.  
  
Understanding dawned in the girl's eyes. Ah. Mitsui smiled in relief. " Get it?"  
  
Ishikawa just stared back at him.  
  
" So that means I can't get back at you."  
  
Mitsui shrugged. " More or less."  
  
He expected Ishikawa to explode, or to at least retaliate. But after staring at him for a very long time, Ishikawa merely turned around. Slowly she began to walk away, towards the exit. Mitsui just stood there, gaping after the girl. Within minutes she had already disappeared from his sight.  
  
Mitsui frowned. That was weird. Shrugging again, he picked up his basketball, which lay at a distance not too far from him. Girls these days are hard to understand.  
  
~*~  
  
" Tanizaki-san."  
  
Ruona sighed irritably. She had been walking around for the past thirty minutes or so, trying to shake this.weirdo off her tail. She had tried a lot of things.walking past policemen.walking into the thick of a crowd.and none of them worked. He was still behind her, pleading.and pleading.  
  
Ruona really couldn't take it anymore. She may have been expressionless, but hey, expressionless people had limits too!  
  
She stopped dead in her tracks, and spun around ferociously. The poor guy was caught off guard. He stumbled back, pushing his glasses back up to the bridge of his nose. " Eh?"  
  
Ruona sighed. " What do you want?"  
  
The guy seemed shocked for a moment. " You-you talk?!"  
  
Ruona rolled her eyes inwardly. Apparently, I do. She however, did not express it verbally; a glare was all the guy needed. He cringed. " Right, sorry, sorry." He held up his hands in surrender.  
  
He took out a blue spiral notebook. " I am Kiminobu Kogure," he began hastily, " And I was assigned this project for my communications class. I am supposed to interview an accomplished person and write an autobiography on this person." His eyes looked pleading from behind his glasses. " And it just so happened that I was assigned to interview you."  
  
Ruona observed him quietly for a moment. Finally, she spoke. " Then why didn't you just say so earlier?" her blue eyes scanned him over quickly. " Then you wouldn't have to go through all this trouble." Really, for a project. Ruona cleared her throat and waited for Kogure to reply.  
  
Kogure looked exasperated. " Which is what I have been trying to do for the past few days!" He threw his hands up in the air. " But you don't listen!" He ran a hand through his messy hair, annoyed.  
  
Ruona's eyes widened, and she quickly stepped away. The surprised look in her eyes started to glaze over into nothingness once more. Kogure caught this movement, though.  
  
" Wait." He grabbed Ruona by the arm. Ruona looked away, though. " What?" she said coolly.  
  
Kogure sighed. " Look, I'm sorry for what I said earlier." He released his grip on her. " It's just that, I don't know, I'm really stressed out and all that, but--" Kogure nearly threw himself at Ruona's feet after that. " Please, please listen to me, let me interview you! I skipped basketball practice just to be able to do this.that's how important this is to me." His brown eyes met her blue ones, then after a brief moment flickered away. " Please, Tanizaki-san."  
  
Ruona blinked once. " Okay."  
  
" Please." Kogure stopped short, then looked back up at her again. " What did you say?"  
  
" I said okay." Ruona repeated. " You can interview me."  
  
Kogure blinked. " That easily?"  
  
" Yes." Ruona was amused at his mannerisms. " Why are you asking?"  
  
Kogure straightened up, scratching his head. " It's just that.well." he mumbled. " You've been giving me such a hard time."  
  
Ruona just raised her eyebrows. Kogure gulped. " Never mind."  
  
The two settled at a playground nearby. Already it had started to get dark; only street lamps illuminated the faces of the two. Ruona glanced at the sky, then at her watch. " I don't have much time on my hands."  
  
" That's alright." Kogure sat down on an empty swing. " We can do this thing bit by bit."  
  
Ruona settled down into the swing next to him as he took out a ballpen, uncapped it and started flipping through pages in his notebook. " First question."  
  
She swung back and forth gently on the swing as she watched the unsuspecting senior, frowning as he bit his lip, staring at his questions. Finally, he looked up. " Whole name?"  
  
Ruona was a bit taken aback by the question. " Ruona Tanizaki." When Kogure turned to look at her, Ruona quickly shook her head. " My mother's maiden name was Kamura."  
  
" Okay." Kogure wrote it down into his notebook. Clearing his throat, he asked his next question. " Date of birth?"  
  
" October twenty-six." Ruona said without a thought. She watched him once more as he printed it neatly beneath her name. Ruona couldn't help but admire his steady efficiency, the way he handled things. This guy must be an honors student too.  
  
" Where were you born?"  
  
" I was born in Kobei." Ruona recited clearly.  
  
Kogure turned to look at her again. " You're not from Kanagawa?"  
  
Ruona shook her head. " My mother is a native of Hyogo. She met my father there, when he was on this business trip. They got married there, and I was born there. When I turned two, we moved to Tokyo, but then we moved to Kanagawa after." She then noticed that Kogure had stopped writing. "Aren't you taking this down?"  
  
Kogure jumped. " Oh, right, right." Frowning with concentration, he wrote something on his notebook down furiously. He cleared his throat again. " Anything you like to do in your free time?"  
  
" Well," Ruona began quietly. " I like playing the violin."  
  
" Uh-huh." Kogure started writing once more.  
  
" .and piano," Ruona finished. " I also enjoy reading books at times."  
  
" I see."  
  
For a few seconds, there was nothing to be heard but the scribbling of ballpens and the creaking of the swings as they swung gently in the wind. Ruona sighed inwardly, and closed her eyes. She didn't know how much to reveal to him. She never did like it when others meddled in her personal affairs, more so her life.  
  
No one in school knew anything about her, or about her past. No one, not even Ishikawa. And here he was, an almost complete stranger, about to interview her on her life story. He would learn things about her that no one even knew. He would know why she acted so cold and strange. He would know.her deepest emotions and feelings.  
  
That was, if Ruona would let him get away with it.  
  
She planted both feet firmly on the ground, and rose from the swing. The chains protested, but still held. Kogure looked up in surprise. " Yes?"  
  
Ruona just glanced at him. " I have to leave now."  
  
" Oh." Kogure managed a monosyllable. He closed his notebook. " Well, too bad," he said as cheerfully as possible. " Thank you for your time."  
  
Ruona nodded at him, bowing slightly. " Next time."  
  
Turning around, she began to walk away slowly. Kogure just looked after her in astonishment.  
  
" Next time," he finally murmured in reply. Pushing his glasses up once more, Kogure made his way out of the playground, clutching his notebook in one hand.  
  
~*~  
  
Raiyuu yawned. " Boring." She clicked off the TV and turned to Sendoh, who was settled at the table, doing his homework. " There's nothing good on now."  
  
Sendoh raised his head to look at her, then looked back down at his schoolwork. " Then go do something useful. Homework, perhaps?" he raised his eyebrows at her.  
  
" I did it already." Raiyuu stretched her arms up above her head. " All in school. We had one free period today," she explained.  
  
Sendoh scoffed. " Which takes away the whole concept of home-work. Work you do at home." He glanced at his sister once, then back at his work again. " Stupid equation."  
  
Raiyuu smirked. " Don't take it out on me that you have a pile of homework to do while I'm just sitting here, doing nothing." She rose from the couch and joined her brother at the table. " That's a load you have there."  
  
Sendoh tossed a worksheet at her. " Maybe you'd like to help me."  
  
Raiyuu pushed it away. " No thank you. And besides, I'm younger than you. I don't know the answers," she grinned.  
  
" Good point." Sendoh took his homework back. " I don't want to get zeroes."  
  
Raiyuu glared at her brother. " Hey, I'm not that dumb!" she pointed out. " What do you mean, zeroes?"  
  
Sendoh glanced at Raiyuu again, amusement on his face. He leant back in his chair " You're right. You're not that dumb." he began.  
  
" Good thing you know." Raiyuu crossed her arms in satisfaction.  
  
" You just know a lot less than I do." Sendoh finished, a smile forming on his face.  
  
Raiyuu glared at him. " ONIICHAN!!"  
  
" Fine, fine. I'll keep quiet." Sendoh leaned forward once more and started on his work once more. All was quiet again, Raiyuu just staring off into space. Until.  
  
Sendoh sighed as he pushed away his finished homework and reached out for another one. " It looks like Ryonan's going to have a pretty good season this year."  
  
" Oh?" Raiyuu was drawing a smiley face on a sheet of paper. " Why do you say that?"  
  
" Uozumi's the team captain this year." Sendoh explained. " He always believed in training hard and aiming for the best. And we have Ikegami.Koshino." he started rattling off players' names and their plays. Raiyuu yawned again and tried not to look bored. She would never understand Akira-sempai's basketball jargon.  
  
" .Shohoku is better this year, too," Sendoh remarked. " But I don't think they'll be able to defeat us."  
  
That sparked Raiyuu's interest like fire to gunpowder. " Oh?" Raiyuu added fangs to her smiley face. " Why?"  
  
Sendoh eyed Raiyuu before he went on. He knew she would react to that. " They are not too coordinated, and they can't read movements that well. And that Sakuragi character." Sendoh chuckled, and did not say anything else.  
  
Raiyuu scribbled over her smiley-vampire-face. Turning to her brother, she shook her head. " Of course not!" she exclaimed. " Oniichan, have you seen them recently? We have Mitsui Hisashi.he was an MVP in junior high, and is good at three point shot.Rukawa, and Takenori Akagi. He's the captain of the Shohoku team," Raiyuu put defensively. " His specialty is his slam dunk." All those times staying after school to watch basketball practice really paid off.  
  
" You forgot to mention Miyagi Ryota," Sendoh put in. " Your boyfriend."  
  
Raiyuu could feel herself turning red. " He is not my boyfriend." " And besides," she added, " that's not what we were talking about awhile ago." She gestured towards the window, in the direction of Rukawa's house. " Rukawa's also really good at--"  
  
Then Raiyuu noticed someone moving outside her window. She frowned.  
  
Mizuyuki was outside, beckoning to her.  
  
Raiyuu stifled a scream. She jumped, surprised at her friend's sudden appearance. Sendoh frowned at his sister's sudden reaction. " Really good at what-?"  
  
Raiyuu shook her head. " Never mind." Running over to the window, she opened it.  
  
" Mizuyuki!" she exclaimed. " What are you doing here?"  
  
Mizuyuki smiled brightly at her. Apparently she thought there was nothing wrong about sneaking up to someone's window at eight in the night. " Do you know which room Rukawa sleeps in?" she pointed towards Rukawa's house, which was right next to Raiyuu's.  
  
Raiyuu grimaced. " Why do you need to know?"  
  
" Hello." Sendoh glared suspiciously at Mizuyuki. He had somehow managed to wedge himself between the two. " I'm Raiyuu's brother." He glanced at Mizuyuki, and back at Raiyuu.  
  
Mizuyuki looked awe-struck. " You're.you're.Sendoh Akira." she pointed a finger at him. Obviously she recognized the ace of Ryonan.  
  
Sendoh glanced at her strangely. " I know."  
  
Raiyuu waved a hand dismissively. " Hey, wait!" she said. " Mizuyuki, why do you want to know where Rukawa's room is?"  
  
Mizuyuki grinned evilly. " I plan to do something bad to him." she rubbed her hands together.  
  
" And that is.?" Raiyuu crossed her arms.  
  
" I," Mizuyuki said importantly, " Am going to steal his basketball jersey, and only return it to him after the first half of his next game." She smiled smugly.  
  
Silence.  
  
" That's stupid," Raiyuu scoffed.  
  
Mizuyuki mirrored the look on Raiyuu's face. " Then give me a better idea."  
  
Raiyuu thought for a moment. Finally, her face brightened. " Throw tomatoes at Rukawa's bedroom window."  
  
Mizuyuki rolled her eyes. " That idea sounds even worse! Oh, by the way," she asked nonchalantly. "Where's Rukawa's bedroom window anyways?"  
  
Raiyuu pointed upwards, behind Mizuyuki. " There."  
  
Raiyuu, Mizuyuki and Sendoh all looked up towards Rukawa's window.to see Rukawa himself standing there, holding a pail of water up expressionlessly. " Idiot."  
  
Rukawa threw the water on Mizuyuki, soaking her wet. Mizuyuki growled in anger. " Kuso!!"  
  
Rukawa's face was still deadpan, as usual. " Go away, kitty."  
  
He threw the empty pail at Mizuyuki's head, which hit the aim dead center. Mizuyuki made a fist at Rukawa. " SHIMATTA!!"  
  
Rukawa took no notice, however. He trudged away from the windowsill. " Baka neko..."  
  
Mizuyuki fumed. " Rukawa.." She stormed away, soaking wet.  
  
Sendoh sweatdropped as he watched Mizuyuki walk away. " Your friend is unusual."  
  
" You think I don't know that?" Raiyuu murmured. Turning away from the window, she headed back towards the living room. " I think I'll just go watch some TV." 


	13. Chapter 12: Weekend

Chapter XII: " Weekend"  
  
" Moshi-moshi."  
  
Kogure clutched the phone tightly in his right hand. " May I please speak to Ruona?"  
  
The voice on the other end of the line sounded thoughtful. " Gomen, but Ruona is training right now."  
  
Kogure raised his eyebrows. " Oh." He positioned his hand over the flash button. She's not home yet.  
  
" Demo," the voice on the other line went on. Kogure could only guess that she was the mother of Ruona. " May I know who this is, please?"  
  
Kogure swallowed. " Kiminobu Kogure."  
  
" And what is your business with my daughter?" Kogure's guess was right; she was the mother. A quite defensive mother.  
  
" I am to interview her for a school project," Kogure finally replied. " I called her up today as to ask a few more questions." He took in a deep breath, and didn't let it out.  
  
The line was silent for a moment. Finally, the mother replied. " She can be found at the local gym in Yokohama. She is finishing up by this time; if you are to interview her, you can go there and intercept her."  
  
Kogure exhaled, relieved. " Thank you."  
  
He could have sworn there was a smile in the woman's voice. " You are most welcome."  
  
Kogure hung up on the line, and set the phone down gently. Sighing again, he ran a hand through his ruffled hair.  
  
" Well," He muttered to himself, " Guess I better get going on the next train to Yokohama."  
  
~*~  
  
" Can I go with you?"  
  
Sendoh raised his eyebrows as he glanced at his sister. " Why?"  
  
Raiyuu smirked. " It's always good to have a second opinion," she commented as her brother rose from the table to clear the dishes. Standing up, she joined him. " What will ever happen if you pick the wrong color for your shoes?"  
  
" Absolutely nothing." Sendoh swiped away Raiyuu's empty dish. " Color doesn't really matter; it's more of the type of shoe I'm after."  
  
" Yeah, but design helps," Raiyuu wheedled. She turned to face her father, who was watching the scene between the two amusedly. " I can go with oniichan, right, dad?"  
  
Sagara-san glanced at his daughter for a moment, then looked away. " Yes--"  
  
" Yatta!" Raiyuu triumphantly made a fist in the air.  
  
" But," her father continued, " Akira will have to decide too."  
  
Raiyuu glanced at Akira. " Oniichan." she began pleadingly.  
  
Sendoh sighed. " Fine, fine. You go with me, you help me out, you don't complain." He stopped in front of his little sister, carrying a pile of dishes.  
  
Raiyuu smiled. " Thanks!"  
  
The next thing she knew, Sendoh had dumped about half the dirty dishes he had in her arms. " You also help me out in clearing the table and washing the dishes."  
  
Raiyuu sweatdropped. " You enjoy making deals, don't you, oniichan?" she mumbled as she exited into the kitchen.  
  
Sendoh draped an arm around Raiyuu's shoulders affectionately, leaving only one hand to tend to the dishes he carried. " What do you think big brothers are here for, then?"  
  
Akira's mother had just stepped into the kitchen. " Akira!" she began warningly. " Don't drop the--"  
  
CRACK.  
  
" Dishes." She finished, staring at the pile of broken dishes on the floor.  
  
Akira grimaced. " Sorry."  
  
Akira's mother sighed as she stared at the broken dishes. " I heard you two are going to the mall." She turned slowly to the two siblings. " For what?"  
  
Raiyuu had began scrubbing the dishes that had been spared in the sink. " He says he needs to buy basketball shoes and stuff."  
  
" Oh?" The older woman raised her eyebrows at her son. " So soon?"  
  
Sendoh flinched. " I'm paying for this," he assured his mother.  
  
" Well, good." His mother nodded satisfactorily. " And since you're so rich today, maybe you could also pay for some new." her voice trailed off as she glanced at the floor, or rather, the broken plates.  
  
Sendoh sighed. " Fine, will do." He waved his hand dismissively.  
  
His mother smiled. " Very well." She patted Raiyuu, who was still rinsing the dishes, on the back. " Take good care of your sister."  
  
" I don't have to," Sendoh muttered under his breath as he joined his sister and mother at the sink. " She's already in the good hands of another. By the name of Miyagi Ryota." He was answered by a sharp jab in the ribs. " Watch it!"  
  
" Huh?" the puzzled mother turned to her children. " What?"  
  
Sendoh and Raiyuu both ducked their heads.  
  
" Nothing."  
  
~*~  
  
Kogure entered the huge, air-conditioned gym. It was already nearing noon; he watched as college-aged students played four-on-four in the court provided inside. Kogure sighed and increased his pace as he went on the look for the silent freshman. He would get tempted to join the game if he stayed in that area any longer.  
  
He stopped short as he passed by a large room. From the inside, he thought he could hear voices speaking.  
  
" No, no." A woman seemingly in her mid-twenties was speaking to a young girl whose long, jet-black hair was tied up in a bun. Kogure's eyes widened. Ruona!  
  
" Your legs are too close together. They should be spread more apart, like this."  
  
The woman got into a position which Kogure knew he would never be able to do in a million years-" And your toes should be pointing outwards."  
  
She glanced at the door where Kogure stood, then looked back at her student. Apparently they were used to visitors and people watching. Ruona glanced at the door too, but gave no reaction to seeing Kogure watching her.  
  
" Well, Ruona," the older lady began, clapping her hands together. " Let's see you do it properly."  
  
Ruona gracefully shifted from her earlier position to the newer one her coach had asked her to do. Kogure's eyes nearly bugged out at the sight. And I thought I was agile.  
  
The instructor nodded, satisfied. " Good." She clapped her hands together once more as Ruona stood up. " We'll meet again tomorrow for more."  
  
Kogure waited patiently as Ruona picked up her training bag and strode slowly to the door. It was only when Ruona reached the door and was face to face with Kogure she did speak. " My mother told you where I train."  
  
Kogure shrugged. " You're good, anyhow." He was wondering why else Ruona would say something like that.  
  
Ruona just raised her eyebrows in reply.  
  
Kogure cleared his throat as he began to speak. " Well, shall we continue what we were discussing yesterday?"  
  
" Later," Ruona said almost disinterestedly. " I have to change first."  
  
Kogure was surprised. " Well, okay." he watched as Ruona strode off down the hall, practice bag in one hand. Shrugging to himself, he took off in the opposite direction.  
  
He knew it might take a little while before Ruona would be done dressing.Guess I'll head off to the court and see if there's still anyone playing.Kogure nodded firmly. Yes, that was exactly what he would do.  
  
When he got there, however, the court was deserted, except for this random girl dribbling a ball carefully. The college students he had seen earlier had gone.Kogure sighed. There's nothing to do around here.he settled on a wooden bench nearby as he watched the girl lazily.  
  
There was more to the girl than what met the eye, though. After about dribbling several times with her eyes on the ball, she suddenly started dribbling it fast and furious, her eyes never locking with the ball even once. She faked, then dashed to underneath the hoop for a smooth lay-up shot. Kogure's eyes widened, impressed. Well, maybe there is something I could do here.  
  
Pushing his glasses up to the bridge of his nose, he approached the girl cautiously. " Excuse me?"  
  
She turned to face Kogure. " What?" she was still dribbling the ball.  
  
Kogure held up a finger. " May I play with you? One-on-one?"  
  
The girl glanced at him for a moment, and smiled. " Sure." She tossed it to him in a chest pass. " Your ball."  
  
Kogure smiled, and began dribbling the ball slowly. The sound reverberated throughout the court. He watched the girl closely, trying to read her movements. Her deep green eyes, however, revealed nothing.  
  
He studied her for another moment, then decided. Kogure's mind whirled as he faked to the right, then ran over to the left. Fast break!! The girl had fallen for his fake; this would surely be an easy-  
  
Game. Kogure froze as he realized that the ball was no longer in his hands. Instead, it was with the girl, who was dribbling it as she ran towards the basket. She had been so quick in regaining her ball once more. Kogure was amazed. This girl has a good defense.very nice form.  
  
He watched as she tossed it up in the air gently for a lay-up shot. However, it bounced off the rim. Kogure shook his head. Too much exertion.he jumped up for the rebound.and got it, his height being an advantage over his opponent's. He did a jumper-and the ball went in.  
  
Kogure landed gently on his two feet as the ball rolled away slowly. He turned to face his opponent, and smiled sheepishly. " You have a good form."  
  
The girl however, shrugged. " Thanks." She picked up the ball which had come to rest at her feet. " No, wait. I have good form?! You have good form." She smiled up at the senior. " You're awesome."  
  
Kogure could feel himself turning pink. " Of course not." He rubbed the back of his head. I wasn't as good as her when I was about her age. Which is. " In what year are you?"  
  
The girl seemed surprised at his question. " I'm a freshman."  
  
Kogure's mind worked quickly. If she's a freshman, she's around.fifteen.Same as Rukawa.  
  
" Kogure-san."  
  
Kogure turned around to see Ruona standing at the other end of the court, calling to him. She had changed out of her practice wear and was now wearing.well, clothes that were definitely not for practice. She had also let her long hair loose, only held back by a simple hairband.  
  
" Right," Kogure mumbled to himself. Well, let's go.  
  
He turned back to the other girl, and bowed slightly. " Ahh, gomen," he said, grinning, " But I have to leave now."  
  
" Aa," the girl said in reply. She was also grinning. " I understand."  
  
Kogure backed away slowly, towards Ruona. " Thanks for the game," he called out.  
  
" Sure. No problem." The other girl called back. Turning away, she started dribbling the ball and shooting baskets once more.  
  
Ruona and Kogure began to proceed outside the gym silently. Kogure's mind, though, was still on the amazingly talented girl he had met awhile ago.  
  
" Hey," he asked Ruona, " Do you know that girl from awhile ago?"  
  
Ruona glanced at him before replying. " Yes."  
  
Kogure raised his eyebrows in surprise. " Oh?" She's probably a gymnast, just like Ruona.he recalled the agility and speed the girl had shown in their brief game.  
  
" She's my classmate in English," Ruona went on. " She's also in homeroom 1-3."  
  
Now that surprised Kogure. " She studies in Shohoku?"  
  
Ruona blinked once. " Yes." Her tone, however, indicated that it was obvious from what she had been saying already. Kogure knew it was best to keep his mouth shut from that point on.  
  
Neither spoke until they reached the corner. It was only then Kogure realized that neither knew where to go.  
  
" Well," he began, " I guess we should get down to the interview."  
  
" But not here, in the middle of the street," Ruona said matter-of-factly.  
  
Kogure cleared his throat. " Uhh, right."  
  
Glancing around, his eyes landed on something. Someplace.big and air- conditioned.  
  
Kogure's eyes gleamed. " Why don't we go on to the mall, and find a place there to stay in for a while?"  
  
~*~  
  
" He stole the ball-a fast break-then began off down the court. It was zone defense.number 7, 10 and 9."  
  
Raiyuu glanced disinterestedly at her brother and his friends, who were talking about some random basketball game. As usual, her brother was deeply into it.  
  
And as usual, Raiyuu had no interest for it.  
  
Raiyuu yawned slightly and shoved into her mouth what was practically left of the ice cream she was eating.  
  
She and Sendoh had been in the mall for practically two hours already. They picked out some new basketball shoes-after much arguing over the color- and also some wristbands.  
  
The two had just come out of another store in where they bought plates when they ran into some of Sendoh's teammates from Ryonan. Raiyuu kind of knew them by face; Koshino, a rather good-looking guy, and Ikegami, who looked like someone Raiyuu would not like to cross. They had all greeted each other, and not another second passed before they started talking about basketball once more. Well, Sendoh and the other two did. Raiyuu started wandering away slowly ( But still within her brother's sight.)  
  
Now Raiyuu was bored, and had absolutely nothing to do. Sighing, she shifted her weight from her right foot to her left foot.  
  
She frowned. The plates were getting kind of heavy.Raiyuu shifted the package to her other hand. If she wasn't careful, they might have to end up going back to the store to buy some more.  
  
Raiyuu stifled a yawn as she tried her best not to look bored. Tilting her head to the right, she tried to stretch her now almost-stiff neck muscles.  
  
Just then, out the corner of her eye, she thought she saw a flash of brown hair pass by.  
  
Raiyuu's head snapped immediately to her right. She watched as a person with curly brown hair walked just around the corner.  
  
Hey. Wait a minute.Raiyuu raised her eyebrows. Miyagi?  
  
She couldn't help but satisfy her curiosity. She crept away slowly, with the intent to find out who that person really was.  
  
To be stopped by a huge wall. A huge wall that was her brother.  
  
" Where are you going?" Sendoh's question was directed at his sister, though he was still facing his teammates. He turned to Raiyuu, arms crossed.  
  
" Umm." Raiyuu took one step backward. She bit her lip. She should have known he wouldn't let her get away with it.  
  
" I.have to go to the bathroom..." Raiyuu said uneasily. She smiled faintly at her brother. " Please?"  
  
Sendoh quirked his eyebrows at her. " Oh?"  
  
Raiyuu gulped. " Yes."  
  
Sendoh relaxed. " Fine, go." He turned back to Koshino and Ikegami.  
  
Raiyuu sighed in relief and made to go. As she ran around the corner, she heard Sendoh shouting on after her. " And no funny business!!"  
  
Raiyuu scowled and made a fist. Oniichan!!  
  
Now wasn't the time to get all angered up about that, though. Raiyuu slowed down her walking and sighed.  
  
She peered into a shop window-and was surprised to see Miyagi inside, seemingly purchasing a shirt.  
  
Raiyuu smiled. Found him! She stepped inside the store, and tapped Miyagi on the back. " Hey."  
  
" Wha--" Miyagi turned and jumped in surprise. " Raiyuu!"  
  
" Hi!" Raiyuu exclaimed cheerfully. Her smile faded away, however, when she noticed the almost trapped expression on the sophomore's face. " Something wrong?"  
  
" Ah, no, nothing, nothing." Miyagi replied hastily. " I just, well, didn't expect to see you here."  
  
He peered over her shoulder. " Who are you here with?"  
  
" My brother," Raiyuu answered thoughtfully. Does he want me around? " Hey, you know, if you don't want me here, I can just leave or something."  
  
" No, no, don't." Miyagi grinned apologetically. " It's just that.well.I don't think your brother likes me much."  
  
Raiyuu cringed. " No, you got it all wrong. You're fine and everything. It's just the fact that.I'm hanging around you."  
  
Miyagi raised an eyebrow. " So he doesn't like me."  
  
Raiyuu sighed. " It's not that." she began slowly. " He just doesn't want me hanging around." As she fumbled for the word, she felt a slight blush escape unto her cheeks. " Older men." As soon as she said that though, Raiyuu wanted to slap herself. Why'd I say that?! She groaned inwardly. Older men.God.  
  
Miyagi however, seemed to find it amusing. " Older men," he mused. Then he grinned. " Heh. I'm not that old, you know."  
  
" I know," Raiyuu mumbled in reply. There's just something wrong with Oniichan's head.  
  
" Anyway," Miyagi went on, tossing the shirt he got over his shoulder, " So, your brother wouldn't mind if we hung around together for a little while?" he headed towards the cashier to pay for his purchase.  
  
Raiyuu shrugged. " I don't know. Maybe," she said honestly. " But he's being boring. He and his basketball friends are talking about basketball." She walked over to join Miyagi at the cashier.  
  
" Basketball isn't boring," Miyagi commented as he took out his wallet. " It's interesting, actually."  
  
Raiyuu shook her head quickly. " No. I mean, basketball is interesting in itself-the sport," she added hastily, " But the rules and plays are not that.interesting to talk about."  
  
" Really?" Miyagi took his purchase and the two started walking out of the store. " They are, if you are more into the game. You play basketball, don't you?"  
  
" Aa." Raiyuu shoved her left hand into her pocket. The package she carried in her right hand bumped into her right leg. Raiyuu winced.  
  
" We should meet again sometime. I'll show you some plays and moves to make your game look nicer." Miyagi flashed a smile at the younger girl.  
  
Raiyuu bit her lip to keep herself from smiling like a total idiot. " Okay." We're going to meet again sometime.  
  
The two walked in silence for some time. Finally, Raiyuu spoke once more. " So." she began.  
  
Miyagi stopped walking. " So."  
  
The two stared at each other for what seemed like nearly a minute. Neither knew what to say next, nor what to do. Raiyuu blinked once. What now.?  
  
Miyagi began to speak. " Raiyuu--"  
  
" Hello, friends!"  
  
Both turned to see Mizuyuki and Ishikawa standing beside them. Mizuyuki had the strangest smile on her face, while Ishikawa had an almost devious looking grin.  
  
Raiyuu looked surprised. " What are you guys doing here?"  
  
" Nothing. We just happened to drop by!" Mizuyuki chirped innocently. " And eavesdrop a bit." she murmured under her breath.  
  
Ishikawa snickered. " I'll show you some moves.?" she clucked. " Naughty children."  
  
Miyagi looked confused. " Friends of yours?" he asked Raiyuu.  
  
Raiyuu nodded, sweatdropping. " Yup." She nodded her head towards the two. " The one with the big smile on her face is Mizuyuki, and the one with the big smirk is Ishikawa."  
  
" Pleased to meet you." Miyagi nodded at them, though a bit confused.  
  
" Same." Mizuyuki nodded back at Miyagi.  
  
" The pleasure is all mine," Ishikawa said solemnly with a sweeping bow. " Take good care of Raiyuu for us." She was answered by a jab to the ribs. " Ow."  
  
Miyagi smiled uncomfortably. Possibly he had found Ishikawa a bit.weird. " I know you. You're that freshman who picked a fight with Mitsui's old group, right?"  
  
" I didn't pick a fight with them," Ishikawa snarled in reply. " They picked a fight with me."  
  
Miyagi was a bit taken aback. " Oh."  
  
Raiyuu cringed. " You guys?" She turned to Mizuyuki, and back to Ishikawa. " Um, maybe you'd like to." she cleared her throat and looked pointedly in the direction of the exit. " You know."  
  
" Fine, fine." Ishikawa sighed, a hint of mock-hurt in her voice. " I see when we're not wanted." She dragged Mizuyuki away." C'mon."  
  
Mizuyuki smiled once more. " Sorry for interrupting you two," she blurted out to the two. " With whatever you guys were doing."  
  
That emitted a loud laugh from Ishikawa. Raiyuu, turning pink from embarrassment, threw a plate at the two. " Away!"  
  
" Yes, ma'am." the two staggered away, howling in hysterics.  
  
Raiyuu sweatdropped, and turned back to Miyagi. " Err, sorry about those two. They can be a bit." she trailed away.  
  
Miyagi nodded slowly. " Yeah, no problem. I understand."  
  
The two resumed their walking once more.  
  
Raiyuu cocked her head to the side. " Are you sure you're okay?" You sure they didn't shake you up or anything? Because she knew that, if she were Miyagi, she definitely would have been shook up. By a lot.  
  
" Yes, don't worry. Your friends are not that life-endangering." Miyagi grinned at her. " Though they are hazardous, but."  
  
Raiyuu shrugged, and didn't say anything else . They stopped in front of a small café to adjust Raiyuu's bags. She was stuck with carrying the plates around.which were not too light, to say the least.  
  
" You know," Miyagi began after a moment, " I can help you with those."  
  
" No, no," Raiyuu said hurriedly. " That's okay.I can carry these by myself."  
  
As she set her package down in front of the café for a while, she couldn't help but peer inside.  
  
Then Raiyuu frowned.  
  
" What the."  
  
Ruona was inside, sitting at a table with that basketball player, Kogure.  
  
~*~  
  
" So," Kogure began as he and Ruona settled into their seats. " Why don't we start?"  
  
Taking out his notebook and pen, he focused on Ruona, who didn't seem too.focused on the topic at hand.  
  
Kogure frowned. " Tanizaki-san?"  
  
Ruona shifted her gaze towards him. " Go on." She acted like she had been listening to him all that time.  
  
Kogure shrugged. " Okay. Well, first of all." he cleared his throat. " When did you first start training?"  
  
" I began at the age of three," Ruona stated clearly. " I had a private instructor."  
  
Kogure noted that down in his notebook, nodding wisely. " And I heard that you play the violin too?"  
  
" Yes." Ruona nodded. " I started that at the age of seven, though. Piano came when I turned eight."  
  
" So your career in gymnastics started much earlier than those in violin and piano?" Kogure asked.  
  
" Yes." Ruona sat back in her chair, and crossed her legs. Though she didn't really look like she was enjoying the interview, it didn't look like she was going to jump up and bolt away, either.  
  
Kogure sighed. Ruona was giving awfully short answers.he scratched the back of his head. Well, I suppose it wouldn't do any harm if I asked her to expand a bit on them or anything.  
  
" Um, Tanizaki-san?" he asked carefully.  
  
Ruona raised her eyebrows at him. " What?"  
  
" Can you, well." Kogure frowned. " Explain your answers a bit further?"  
  
Ruona turned to glare at him. Kogure gulped.  
  
" Because, well, this is my project, and it would help if it were a bit more." Sweating, he pushed his glasses up to the bridge of his nose once more. " Never mind."  
  
Ruona shrugged, and shifted in her seat.  
  
Kogure sighed. " Okay, next question." He glanced at his notebook once more. " So you--"  
  
" Kogure!"  
  
Kogure turned to see Miyagi Ryota behind him. Alongside him was a freshman Kogure knew as Raiyuu. She used to hang out in the gym often before practice.  
  
Raiyuu looked beyond Kogure to wave at the still girl opposite him. " Hey, Ruona!"  
  
Ruona looked bored. " Hello."  
  
Kogure groaned inwardly, and set down his notebook. " Miyagi." He said tiredly.  
  
Miyagi grinned. " Kogure! Didn't think I'd see you here." he glanced at Ruona, and back at Kogure, a grin forming on his lips. " .Date?"  
  
Kogure sweatdropped. " No."  
  
" Yeah right." Raiyuu popped out from behind Miyagi. " That looks like a date to me."  
  
Kogure sighed, rubbing his temples. " I'd say the same for the two of you," he pointed out.  
  
Ruona just sat there quietly, observing everything.  
  
Miyagi and Raiyuu flinched at the same time.  
  
" It's not a date." Raiyuu.  
  
" We just bumped into each other, that's all." Miyagi.  
  
" Yeah!" Mizuyuki joined in. " They're telling the truth." Somehow she and Ishikawa had managed to pop out of nowhere and surprise them all again.  
  
" Mizuyuki's right," Ishikawa told a surprised Kogure. " We even overheard them talking when they bumped into each other. He's gonna show her some moves." She grinned deviously. " Bad ones, aren't they?"  
  
" They should wait 'till they're older," Mizuyuki commented. " What do you think, Kogure-sempai?"  
  
Kogure gulped, sweatdropping. " That's...nice." he glanced questioningly at Miyagi, who was turning red in embarrassment.  
  
Miyagi growled. " Don't look at me!" he pointed an accusing finger at Ishikawa and Mizuyuki, who were currently being punched by a furious Raiyuu. " You actually believe them?!"  
  
" Maa, maa." Kogure grinned faintly. " I wasn't saying anything."  
  
Ruona sighed. " Baka."  
  
Raiyuu plopped down into the chair next to Ruona's. " Hey." She greeted her cheerfully, ignoring the other two who were lying on the floor. " Why you guys here anyway?"  
  
" It's for my project," Kogure explained as Miyagi dragged three more chairs to the table. " I was assigned to interview Tanizaki-san here."  
  
" Oh." Raiyuu shrugged. " Cool."  
  
" Why wasn't anyone assigned to interview me?" Ishikawa grumbled as she settled into the nearest seat from where she lay.  
  
" That's cause you aren't important enough," Mizuyuki informed her friend.  
  
Ishikawa winced. " Ouch." She turned to Raiyuu. " And that's not just from your punches."  
  
" Hmm." Raiyuu settled back in her seat, deep in thought.  
  
" Hmmm."  
  
Now that wasn't Raiyuu. Mizuyuki, Raiyuu, Ishikawa, Miyagi and Kogure all turned slowly to face the one who had said that.  
  
Who happened to be standing right behind them. Sendoh Akira was glaring at all of them with a not-so-nice look on his face. Raiyuu gulped.  
  
" Um, hi, oniichan?" she asked weakly. " Uh.join us?"  
  
Sendoh's face twitched.  
  
" Bathroom, huh?"  
  
Raiyuu swallowed.  
  
Kogure looked puzzled. " Wait." he turned to face Miyagi. " Sendoh Akira is her brother?!"  
  
" Yes!" Miyagi hissed. " I think it was kind of obvious." he nudged Kogure in the ribs to keep him quiet.  
  
Sendoh's gaze traveled over each and every person in that table. However, when his gaze came to Miyagi, he frowned. " You."  
  
Miyagi cringed. " What?"  
  
Sendoh glared down at him. " Do you know who I am?"  
  
" Uhh.Sendoh Akira?" Miyagi guessed.  
  
Sendoh frowned. " I am Raiyuu's brother." He crossed his arms. " Get away from her."  
  
Raiyuu groaned inwardly. " Oniichan!!"  
  
" Stay out of this, Raiyuu," Sendoh ordered his sister.  
  
Sulking, Raiyuu moved away to one corner.  
  
Sendoh turned back to Miyagi. " If you even think about laying a hand on her."  
  
" And I have no intention of doing so," Miyagi interrupted hurriedly. " So don't worry, okay?"  
  
Sendoh raised his eyebrows. " What did you say.?"  
  
Kogure intervened before the two could argue. " Hey, hey." he began smilingly. " We're all friends here..right?"  
  
Miyagi and Sendoh glowered at him. Kogure's smile faltered. " Or not."  
  
Ishikawa snickered. " Ne, Sendoh-san," she began innocently. " Do you know what Miyagi-sempai told Raiyuu awhile ago?"  
  
Sendoh turned to look at Ishikawa. " What?"  
  
" Well," Ishikawa said, a wicked gleam in her eye. " He said--"  
  
" Oh, look at the time!" Raiyuu commented loudly. " It's getting late! Let's go, oniichan!!" She tugged at Sendoh's right arm. As Sendoh turned to look at his sister, Miyagi jumped on Ishikawa, ready to strangle her at a moment's notice.  
  
" Fine," Sendoh murmured. " Let's go." Gripping his sister's shoulder tightly, the two left the café.  
  
Sendoh turned back to look at Miyagi, though. " You," he said sharply. " Miyagi. I'll be--"  
  
He was greeted by the scene of Ishikawa pounding Miyagi's head on the floor while Mizuyuki and Kogure did their best to restrain her. " Ishikawa!"  
  
Ruona just sat there, doing nothing. Sendoh sweatdropped.  
  
".watching you," he finished slowly. Shrugging, he turned to his sister. " Let's go."  
  
" Okay," Raiyuu answered. Grimacing as she watched the ongoing brawl, she walked out of the café with her brother.  
  
Sendoh didn't speak until they were a safe distance from the store. " So now they sell food in bathrooms."  
  
Raiyuu ducked her head, and didn't reply.  
  
" They've extended them, too," Sendoh commented. " And the bathroom looks suspiciously like this certain café I've seen around the mall somewhere."  
  
" Oniichan?"  
  
" What?"  
  
" Shut up." Raiyuu walked ahead, glowering. She would never, ever lie to her brother again.  
  
Sendoh just smiled in return, but didn't say anything more. 


	14. Chapter 13: Nightfall

Chapter XIII: " Nightfall"  
  
Ishikawa glanced up at the sky and sighed.  
  
Shoving both hands into her pockets, she lazily trudged along the dimming pathway. The night was beginning to settle in already; the sun had nearly gone down.  
  
She smiled as she recalled the events of earlier. Ishikawa smirked. Heh. That was fun. She started whistling a familiar tune. Teasing Raiyuu was always fun.  
  
After Sendoh-san had come and dragged Raiyuu out of the place, neither of them had anything else to say or do anymore. Miyagi had stalked out of the place, while Mizuyuki and Ishikawa just shrugged at each other, and left, leaving Ruona and Kogure together.  
  
They had gone their separate ways after that, however. Mizuyuki wandered off to.someplace else.and Ishikawa had strolled around the mall, and somehow ended up outside of it. Now she was just walking around here, with nothing to do.  
  
Ishikawa tucked a loose strand of hair behind one ear and sighed. It's been such an entertaining-if not busy-day, she thought. I'd be satisfied and contented if only I wouldn't remember.  
  
" Mitsui." she murmured, staring off into space.  
  
After a while, Ishikawa's features hardened. " To hell with him." Annoyance surging from within her, Ishikawa took her anger out on a small stone by the side of the road. The stone bounced off down the sidewalk, leaving Ishikawa with her fists clenched tightly. She sighed, though, after a moment.  
  
" Damn," she muttered, relaxing her clenched fists. A burst of pain shot from her left arm, as if to remind her who she was. Ishikawa lifted the offending hand. A cemented cast on her wrist greeted her, although not warmly.  
  
Memories, flashbacks of before clouded Ishikawa's brain before she could react. They were still as bright as ever, as if everything had just happened yesterday.  
  
" This? An aspiring gangster? Try again next year, little girl."  
  
" LITTLE GIRL?!"  
  
" I'm impressed at your guts. Unfortunately, guts aren't good enough."  
  
" Whoever that Mitsui was, I swear-and I swear to hell, that I'm really, really going to make him pay for this."  
  
Ishikawa scowled, and cursed again.. Shoving her hands into her pockets once more, she started on her way once again.  
  
" Stupid gangster," she muttered through clenched teeth. Bastard. What does he know about fighting and one's honor anyway?  
  
A breeze blew into the still night, lifting a few brown strands of Ishikawa's hair into her face. It did not lift up her spirits, however.  
  
I want to fight with that idiot again. Ishikawa frowned. That wasn't a fair fight anyway. Come to think of it, it wasn't even a fight! It was a challenge. She glanced down at her sore wrist, then back up again, fierce determination in her eyes. And I'm accepting it.  
  
Demo.Ishikawa's eyes flickered over her wrist once more. He doesn't want to fight with me.  
  
" He doesn't want to fight, period," Ishikawa exclaimed aloud to no one in particular. Only the trees surrounding her had heard her. The wind blew once more, as if in response. Ishikawa made a face.  
  
He plays basketball now, he says. He doesn't do fights any more. Ishikawa smirked. Stupid.  
  
But still, a voice from the back of her head nagged her. He doesn't fight anymore. You can't force him to fight you just because you feel like it.  
  
True.Ishikawa's brow furrowed. Sighing once more, she shifted her direction. Damn Mitsui. Why'd he have to make life so.complicated for me?! If he hadn't.if he hadn't.If Mitsui hadn't called me names, I wouldn't be thinking of all this right now. Ishikawa frowned. That sounded dumb.  
  
Shrugging, Ishikawa waved that thought away. All of a sudden, she recalled.something.  
  
" But, isn't there another way you can, get back at him? Without any bloodshed."  
  
Mizuyuki had said that to her before. Ishikawa frowned in concentration. Without bloodshed.  
  
I do basketball now.she could recall Mitsui's voice within telling her, taunting her, calling to her, beckoning to her, challenging her. I don't fight anymore.  
  
Basketball.  
  
A ghost of a smile appeared on Ishikawa's lips. Immediately she stopped walking.  
  
" That's it," she murmured. " That's it." Why hadn't I thought of that before?  
  
Without a second thought, she turned around once more and ran off, into the darkness of the night.  
  
~*~  
  
Mizuyuki stood in front of the telephone, grinning evilly. She rubbed her hands together in satisfaction.  
  
" Hah."  
  
Sinking down into the chair nearest to her, she carefully picked up the line.and listened.  
  
Good. No one was on the phone.  
  
Mizuyuki grinned. " Now."  
  
Holding her breath, she carefully dialed in the telephone number of Rukawa's home. She had gotten it from Raiyuu a few hours ago. It had been hard, though, to convince Raiyuu why exactly she needed Rukawa's number. Mizuyuki shook her head. She'll never understand.  
  
She let out a sigh, but started shifting around in her seat when the phone started ringing. It's ringing! It's ringing!! Mizuyuki couldn't help wriggling from her excitement.  
  
Finally, someone picked up on the line. " Rukawa desu."  
  
Mizuyuki's eyes widened in surprise. And Rukawa was actually the one who answered the phone.I'm having suck good luck today.Yes.  
  
" Hello?" Rukawa's low-and pretty deadpan voice-broke into Mizuyuki's thoughts.  
  
Mizuyuki snapped back to the present. " Uh."  
  
She cleared her throat, and spoke once more.  
  
" Is.is your refrigerator running?" Mizuyuki suppressed a grin. Step one of her drawn-out attack on Rukawa Kaede.  
  
Rukawa seemed puzzled. " Aa."  
  
It was at this point when Mizuyuki began to crack up. " Well, you better go catch it!!"  
  
Mizuyuki slammed the phone down hard, laughing hysterically.  
  
" Hah!" she exclaimed triumphantly. " Got him!!" Rukawa.you suck.  
  
After a few minutes of laughter, Mizuyuki decided to try again. Picking up the phone with shaking fingers, she hit the redial button. After a few rings, someone picked up the line again.  
  
" Rukawa desu." Still Rukawa who answered. She knew his voice well.  
  
" Hello?" Mizuyuki tried. " Is your microwave working?"  
  
Rukawa still didn't get it. " I think so."  
  
Mizuyuki let out a burst of laughter. Gullible! " Well, you better go stop it. It might get stressed out!" Slamming the phone down once more, she laughed until she could barely breathe. Rukawa's such a..such a.  
  
" Stupid," Mizuyuki smirked. Reaching out for the phone once more, she was about to lift it to prank Rukawa once more.  
  
Then the phone rang.  
  
~*~  
  
Rukawa frowned as he set the phone down. Some nut had been calling their house and asking mindless questions about their refrigerator and microwave.  
  
Well, whoever that is, that's none of my business.Rukawa settled down into his bed, ready to drift off into sleep.  
  
But wait. Rukawa's eyes snapped open.  
  
Come to think of it.he sat up, staring thoughtfully at the phone, that voice sounded familiar.  
  
An idea struck his usually inactive head. Rukawa sighed in irritation, and lifted the receiver to his ear. Yuu Mizuyuki.  
  
His finger struck the call back button. After a few moments, the phone on the other line started to ring. Rukawa waited, silent and unmoving.  
  
The line picked up. " Moshi-moshi?"  
  
A female voice. Rukawa frowned. So he had been right.  
  
" Yuu," he murmured under his breath. Ahou.  
  
" Excuse me?" Mizuyuki's voice on the other line seemed confused. " What? Hello?" she had no idea that it was Rukawa himself who was on the other line.  
  
Rukawa's brow creased. He opened his mouth, as if to say something, but then.  
  
He slammed the phone down in one swift motion.  
  
" Ahou," he muttered aloud. " A waste of my time." Leaning back into his bed, he folded his arms behind his head and sighed.  
  
Prank calling was useless. So what if that idiot prank-called him? Rukawa didn't care; all he cared about was his sleep. And basketball. Rukawa closed his eyes, nearly about to doze off once more.  
  
A thought was nagging at him from the back of his head, though. Rukawa couldn't sleep.  
  
After a few minutes, Rukawa's eyes opened once more. " Demo."  
  
He sat up once more. Lifting the phone to his ear once again, he pressed the call back button.  
  
The same female voice answered. " Moshi-moshi?"  
  
Rukawa cleared his throat. Suddenly he realized that he didn't know what to say.  
  
" Is." he shrugged. " Is your phone line working." Where that came from, he didn't know. Rukawa decided that next time, he should put a little more expression into his question.  
  
Mizuyuki's voice on the other line sounded dubious. " Yeah."  
  
Rukawa frowned. What now? He never did learn how these "prank calls" went. Finally, he just shrugged. To hell with that.  
  
" ...Good for you." Rukawa noted tonelessly. He set the phone down without waiting for Mizuyuki's reply. Was that correct?  
  
In a weird, twisted way, Rukawa felt proud.somehow. His first call to a girl.  
  
But he had the feeling that wasn't the way things were supposed to go on calls to girls.was it?  
  
He had no time to ponder over that though, as the phone rang once more.  
  
~*~  
  
Shaking with fury, Mizuyuki stared at the phone.  
  
" Rukawa." she muttered. " Rukawa.pranked me back." How he learnt her number, she couldn't really figure out. Oh, who cares?  
  
She didn't even hesitate. Her fingers hovering over the telephone, she punched the redial button.  
  
Rukawa was pathetic. Mizuyuki grimaced. Is your phone line working?! She snickered, covering her mouth with her hand. Baka.  
  
It wasn't that long before someone picked up the phone once more. Mizuyuki's eyes narrowed. Rukawa.  
  
" Rukawa desu."  
  
" Is your computer working?"  
  
Mizuyuki could practically see Rukawa frowning over the phone. " No."  
  
Oh. Mizuyuki thought fast. Counter attack! " Ahhh, too bad," she shot back. " You can't do any of your projects." That was dumb.  
  
She didn't wait for him to reply to that, however. Mizuyuki slammed down the phone, triumphant.  
  
Score!  
  
~*~  
  
Rukawa frowned as Mizuyuki hung up on him. Without wasting a second, he hit the call back button once more.  
  
The phone hadn't even rung more than once before someone picked up the line again. " What?"  
  
It was Mizuyuki, with a different greeting, however. She had already known it was going to be him. Rukawa ignored that. He was finally getting the hang of this.prank-calling thing.  
  
" Is your cabinet working?"  
  
" No duh." Rukawa could hear the sarcasm clearly in Mizuyuki's voice. " Is your head working?"  
  
Rukawa frowned. Somehow, he thought he had said something wrong. Shrugging, he hung up.  
  
" Urusai." Ahou, he glowered inwardly.  
  
Less than a minute had passed before frantic pounding was heard from Rukawa's front door. Rukawa raised his eyebrows, but otherwise, showed no other response.  
  
At this hour.?  
  
~*~  
  
Ishikawa stood there, panting, as her cousin finally opened the door.  
  
Rukawa didn't look surprised. " What are you doing here?" deadpan, as usual.  
  
Ishikawa looked up at him pleadingly. " Help me."  
  
" How." He opened the door slightly to let her in. Ishikawa walked inside and collapsed on the nearest chair she saw. Rukawa just stood there, observing her stoically.  
  
" I need to know where Mitsui lives," she said.  
  
Rukawa said nothing to that. Ishikawa turned to look at him, surprised at his reaction. " You know, Mitsui Hisashi, Shohoku basketball team, former gangster.?" she trailed off questioningly. Then she frowned. " Oh, come on, Kaede-kun!!"  
  
Rukawa frowned. " You shouldn't expect me to know where every single basketball club member lives."  
  
" But you do know. Stop being such a moron." Ishikawa crossed her arms. " You're just not in the mood to tell me."  
  
Rukawa just shrugged, and turned away. " Why do you need to know?"  
  
" Uhh." Ishikawa thought for a while. " Because.well.."  
  
"." Rukawa observed his cousin silently, an idea forming in his head as to why she wanted to know where Mitsui lived.  
  
" Because I do," Ishikawa finished. " Pleeease." She glanced into Rukawa's face, then frowned. " Don't go getting any ideas, Kaede." She warned.  
  
Rukawa just raised his eyebrows, but said nothing. A trace of a smirk appeared on his face. " His house is in the opposite side of town, last time I heard."  
  
Ishikawa smiled in relief. " Thanks."  
  
Getting off the chair, she nodded at her cousin. " Thanks for your help. Now I can go.and show him what I'm really made of," she murmured. You die, Mitsui.  
  
Rukawa watched as his cousin walked away once more. He shook his head, puzzled. Show him what I'm really made of.?  
  
Shrugging, he just walked back into his bedroom, and into his bed for a fitful sleep. If the phone had rung anytime then, he didn't remember.  
  
~*~ Ishikawa's face was grim as she encountered what looked like a lone figure in the night, walking on the opposite side of her sidewalk. She didn't know what time it was already; all she knew was that it was late. Really late.  
  
Shoving her hands into her pockets, she approached the darkened figure. It wasn't long before she finally figured out that he was someone she knew. Ishikawa's lips twitched, but she did not say anything.  
  
Finally, the two passed each other-and their eyes met.  
  
Ishikawa spoke first. " Mitsui."  
  
The blue-eyed shooting guard's eyes widened in recognition once he saw the girl. " It's you." He relaxed, though, after a while and started smirking faintly. " What do you want?" He had also shoved his hands into his pockets.  
  
The two just stood there, in the darkened sidewalk. A car came by or two; otherwise, there was no other distraction. Silence prevailed.  
  
Ishikawa looked in Mitsui's eyes level-headedly. " I want to fight you."  
  
Mitsui frowned, and tried to wave her away. " How many times have I told you, kid, that I don't fight--"  
  
" Not in that way!" Ishikawa cut in. " Basketball." She didn't even notice the fact that he had called her kid yet again.  
  
It took a while for it to sink into Mitsui's head. But once it did, he glanced at her for a moment, then began to laugh. " Oh. yeah, right." Basketball?  
  
Still laughing, he began to turn away from her. " No."  
  
Ishikawa grabbed him by the sleeve of his jacket before he could leave. " I'm serious." She said quietly. " If you won't fight with me with your fists, then we'll do it by basketball."  
  
Mitsui cocked his head. There is something seriously wrong with this freshman. " Look," he asked impatiently, " Do you even know how to play basketball?!"  
  
Ishikawa crossed her arms defensively. " Pretty much."  
  
Mitsui scoffed. " Pretty much?" Only a girl would say that.  
  
" I used to play with Kaede-kun a lot over the break," Ishikawa offered. She raised one eyebrow at Mitsui challengingly. Well?  
  
Mitsui frowned. Kaede-kun? Oh, Rukawa.  
  
The two glared at each other in silence for a while. Finally, Mitsui spoke. " I'll get the ball from my house. There's a basketball court around five blocks away. I'll meet you there." Without waiting for a reply, he walked off towards his house. Let's see what this girl can do.  
  
~*~ They had arranged it; the first to reach a score of ten won. The game would be short and.not too sweet, so they could get back to their respective homes before midnight.  
  
It was Mitsui's ball, which had been decided on rock-paper-scissors. Ishikawa scowled, but did not complain.  
  
Mitsui glanced at Ishikawa out the corner of his eyes, as he dribbled the ball furiously. This is an easy game.  
  
Without even a quirk, he raised the ball above his head, jumped.and shot the ball. The ball went in smoothly.  
  
Ishikawa intervened. " Hey! That's a jump shot!" she declared angrily.  
  
" I'm glad you know," Mitsui scoffed out. He passed the ball to her. " Yours."  
  
Ishikawa glared angrily at him. " That's not fair. I'm what, shorter than you by one foot?!"  
  
" Tough." Mitsui shrugged. " You asked for it."  
  
Ishikawa seethed, but said nothing. Stepping outside the court, she ran back in, dribbled once, then before Mitsui could do anything, performed a reverse lay-up shot.  
  
The ball bounced on to the ground. Ishikawa smirked. " Yours."  
  
Mitsui frowned. Now the score was even, 2-2.  
  
The game went on continuously. There were no fouls made; Ishikawa had decided she would rather die than have any physical contact with her opponent. Mitsui just didn't care.  
  
As the game progressed, however, Ishikawa's real skills were revealed. She jumped high; she could either tip or block off all the jump balls Mitsui tried to shoot, then go in for the rebound. Mitsui finally gave up on his jump shots, and started fighting his way into her strong defense. Maybe all those hours with her playing with Rukawa wasn't a waste after all.There was definitely more to this girl then what met the eye. She also had great stamina.  
  
Soon the score reached 8-8, after Ishikawa's last basket, a set shot. She had faked a jump shot-which Mitsui fell for, by a lot-then did a set shot which evened out the score. Mitsui had been surprised; all she had been using earlier were jump shots or lay-ups. He didn't expect such an.ordinary shot.after her performance awhile ago. Mitsui scowled. She's tricking me.wiping the sweat off his brow, he watched the young girl cautiously from a distance.  
  
Ishikawa breathed heavily. Her stamina was lessening; she had to make defense particularly tight for Mitsui, whom she had to admit was very good. Heard he was MVP in his junior high days. I'm not surprised why.  
  
She passed the ball to him. " Your ball."  
  
They hadn't been doing too much talking after the first four points were scored; probably because that was when the game started to get serious. Ishikawa was using almost all her strength just to guard Mitsui, to steal the ball from him, and to shoot. Really tiring.  
  
Mitsui caught the ball silently, stepped outside the court, then ran back in again.  
  
Ishikawa saw that he was already tiring; she smiled faintly. Good. This should make my job easier.but somehow, she did not feel as satisfied as she would normally be whenever she finished up a fistfight. Whatever. She flicked her hair back and tried to concentrate.  
  
Mitsui dribbled the ball as fast as he could, trying to decide in which direction to move in. He could sense Ishikawa directly behind him, waiting for a chance to get to the ball.  
  
If I'd let her, Mitsui thought silently. If I'd let her.  
  
He faked to the left, but moved to the right.then he realized that Ishikawa hadn't fallen for that at all. Mitsui's eyes widened. She's really better than what I thought.  
  
Ishikawa had stolen the ball from him in one smooth move, and now she was the one dribbling it, trying to protect it from the outstretched arms of Mitsui. He could guard Ishikawa easily; his arm span was greater than hers by a lot. If he just moved in close enough to her, he could steal the ball.  
  
But that would already be a foul, Mitsui realized. Unnecessary contact.well, in her eyes. And he had the feeling Ishikawa would punch him if he pressed in on her back, or even closed in around her. Well, I don't intend to. Mitsui shook his head, trying to clear it of any.unneeded thoughts. Basketball.basketball.  
  
Ishikawa tried to read Mitsui's movements from what she could hear from behind her. The quick scuffling of his feet wasn't too helpful, either. She couldn't feel his presence on either side of her. Ishikawa frowned. What the hell is he doing now?  
  
Her brown eyes darted to the left when she sensed a movement. Still dribbling the ball, she spun to the left. As Mitsui tried to take it, she bounced it beneath her swiftly, then raised it in the air for a jump shot.  
  
The ball left her fingers; time seemed to go by slowly. Mitsui saw her movement; he immediately jumped into the air to hit it.  
  
He only managed to tip it, though; he had jumped only when the ball was already a few inches from the basket. Ishikawa frowned. He's getting slow.  
  
The two watched breathlessly as the ball hit the rim of the basket.then bounced out. Ishikawa cursed silently. Damn! But her thoughts changed as she ran towards the falling ball. Rebound!  
  
She positioned herself below the ball-and jumped high to be able to catch it. Somewhere behind her, she saw Mitsui jump for the ball too. Ishikawa frowned. Not on your life.  
  
Ishikawa realized the ball was going to be a bit far too back when it landed. Not about to give up on it, she fell back a bit in mid-air to be able to catch the ball. She caught it before Mitsui's hands touched it. Ishikawa smiled triumphantly. Yes!  
  
Then she realized that she had lost balance, from the falling back she had done to catch the ball. Ishikawa's eyes widened. Uh-oh..  
  
Still holding the ball, she collided into Mitsui, who was right behind her.  
  
The two fell to the ground, Mitsui on his side, Ishikawa on Mitsui's.side.  
  
They didn't say anything for a while, just gasping to regain their breath. The ball had bounced away in the midst of all the action.  
  
Ishikawa groaned. " Dammit."  
  
Mitsui also groaned. " You can say that again."  
  
Ishikawa brushed herself off. " Dammit." She gingerly got off Mitsui. Glancing at him, she grimaced. Uh-oh.once more.  
  
" Sorry."  
  
She averted her eyes to the ground. " Did...I hurt you or anything?" The excitement and rush she had felt during basketball was now gone, and replaced by a sense of.guilt. I didn't mean to do it.  
  
Mitsui winced. " You didn't hurt me or anything.bad," he added after a while. He rubbed his side in pain. " You have a sharp elbow." He was surprised Ishikawa actually asked. He never thought her to be the.worrying type.  
  
" I'm sorry," Ishikawa repeated again, this time more quietly. She stood up. " I swear, I didn't mean to hurt you.physically," she murmured under her breath. She was still Ishikawa, after all. The ever-competitive one.  
  
Mitsui didn't hear that, thankfully. " No, it's okay," he assured her. " I'm fine.just got the wind knocked out of me for a while." he glanced Ishikawa over. " You're the one who's hurt." Referring to the scrapes she had gained after falling to the cement.her legs had gotten the most out of the fall.  
  
Ishikawa raised her eyebrows. " Not really." She admitted. " A few scratches and bruises never did me any harm." I've gotten stuff worse than this.  
  
Mitsui blinked once. This girl's tough.  
  
He felt his lips curving up into a smile. " That's good."  
  
Ishikawa blinked. What?! she could have sworn she heard Mitsui say.she shrugged it off. Nah.  
  
" So," she continued. " What happens to the game now.?" Honestly, she didn't feel like playing anymore, much more fighting. She didn't feel like doing.anything.  
  
Mitsui kept his eyes trained on her brown ones. " Why don't we just call it even." He finally offered. He didn't feel like playing much anymore either. Running a hand through his unruly hair, he watched as she thought it over, frowning thoughtfully. She's alright.  
  
Ishikawa spoke. " Sure." She was relieved, actually; she didn't really feel like fighting Mitsui at the moment, much less anyone at all.  
  
She offered a hand to him. " Truce?"  
  
He grasped her hand tightly. " Truce," he said firmly.  
  
Ishikawa nodded stoically, not offering anything else to say. That's fine with me.  
  
Drawing her hand back from Mitsui's, she watched silently as he helped himself up, brushing himself off. Turning away from her quietly, he walked to get his basketball. Still, nothing was exchanged between them.  
  
Ishikawa watched him one more time, hesitated, then walked away as the night drew on. 


End file.
